24 hours in airports is not fun... and other tips

Day 20, August 22: I actually started writing in the journal a few things I learned while I was here and figured that would be all for this day. I had no idea that our trip home was going to be so eventful.

The train ride to the airport was speedy, 30 minutes. Jason still wanted to yell at those guys pretending to sell train tickets. The screen listing departures lists more locations than the signs above your head. There is Terminal A and B or 1 and 2 but there is also an N that doesn't have signage to it. That's where they put all the American flights. I just happened to see a sign outside across the street with the N terminal on it. So we had to fight with everyone one more time to hop on a bus to get there.

After that, we were in line with a lady who noticed Jason's backpack from his last company. Turns out her husband, or soon-to-be ex works there. She was travelling alone and obviously lonely because she started sharing way too much, like how she was going through a messy divorce. Jason shut off at that point.

When we got to the front of the line and watched this lady chat up whoever she was next to, we learned our plane was delayed coming from D.C. to Rome. Because D.C. was dealing with the hurricane, they couldn't leave on time. That delays our departure another hour. Okay, not bad. We can't book a different flight because everything else is tied up too.

So we wait. 12:50 instead of 11:40 departure. But then they delay it further. Then the plane finally shows up but they have to clean it and apparently that takes an hour. We finally take off and don't arrive in D.C. until 6:30, 2 hours after our connecting flight left. So we wait in a line to get rebooked. We get lucky! There is a flight leaving at 8:57 PM to SFO.

We get to the gate after getting some food and wait. We will be leaving at 9:05. Perfect. They get us on the plane by 9:15. They lock the doors and the pilot comes on saying he noticed a bolt under the right wing is not the same as the others and may affect aerodynamics. So they need maintenance to come out and fix it then enter it in the log. 20 minutes go by, still nothing. Finally, 40 minutes later, someone comes to fix it. Now we just have to wait for ground crew to come push us out. Apparently, there's no one around or they're not in a big hurry. By the time we back out, it's 10:20.

Now we're off! Wrongo. We taxi 50 feet and come to a halt. Everything shuts down. The pilot comes on again and says, "Folks, I cannot believe how this night is going. I haven't had this many delays in a long time. But there is a rag on the tarmac and I don't want to suck it up into our engines so we need someone to come out and get it off the ground before we proceed." Seriously?! The girl behind me said she would get out of the plane herself to get it since it would probably be faster.

Fortunately, someone came out in a truck in a few minutes and we taxied for 5 minutes just to get to the runway and take off. So we didn't arrive in SFO until 12:30 AM. That made it 9:30 AM in Rome. That was the time we arrived in the Rome airport the day before. We were beyond ready to crawl into our own bed when we got home. Ah, home. Finally.


So after this three week trip, here are things I learned:

- Staring is a common and accepted practice. Get used to it. Stare back.

- Toilet seats are optional in public bathrooms. So is toilet paper. It's B.Y.O.TP. Squatting is a survival skill ladies.

- Service charge at a restaurant is per person, not per table.
- Service charge includes bread that could be horrible but you still have to shell out €4.

- Water is never free unless you get it from a natural spring, which is surprisingly refreshing. You can actually pay €4 ($6 US) for water.

- Farther from tourist areas = better and cheaper food.

- Toilets are not always free either. It's good to have a little change handy.

- Taxi cabs charge more at night (in Italy it starts at 10 PM). Day rate starts at €2.50, night rate, €5.

- Gondolas are cool but pricy. Rate changes after 7 PM.

- The Metro trains finish running just before midnight. 24 hour service is a silly notion.

- Women will wear a bikini no matter what age or size they are. Go girls. Just get something that supports your... girls.

- No such thing as forming a line. It's a free for all, so grow a pair and jump in. Politeness here means nothing.

- Green figs are a tasty fruit.

- Public water taxis in Venice are a reasonable way to travel. Private water taxis are a rip off.

- Women don't care about their undergarments matching their clothes. Tackiness is acceptable.

- When in Florence, buy a double ticket for the Uffizi and Accademia. It will save time instead of standing in line all day.

- People love their cigarettes as much as they love their wine in Europe.

- There is always someone trying to make an extra buck off tourists.

- The words "No thank you" do not exist at the Italian dinner table.

- Strategy and pacing is important in dining with the Italian family. Leave a bite of food on your plate if you don't want to be offered more.

One last night in Rome

Day 19, August 21: I can't believe we go home tomorrow. We had breakfast then headed to the water taxi. We had a little confusion before we managed to get on the right boat. We didn't realize they have a floating holding area to wait in until the boat arrives. Of course, I was wondering before the taxi arrived why everyone was faced toward the one doorway. Duh.

It was a warm 40 minute boat ride to the station and not a bad way to end our time here in Venice. We were VERY glad however to be aboard an A/C equipped train rather than the humid outdoors. Once we arrived we went back to the Hotel Piemonte in a different room. Bigger overall but the A/C didn't work well. We turned the dial down to 10 degrees C which should have been freezing and it hardly did a thing.


Our last night in Europe, we headed out to find Jason a shirt somewhere on Via Del Corso. However, hardly anyone carried his size. All the men in Italy are tiny. Jason's massive shoulders prevented him from even wearing an XL. We walked into one store and this little gay guy, almost smaller than me, looked at Jason and said, "Hello, small guy". It was hilarious.

It was still fun to go into the shops and walk through Piazza S. Polo. Then we went in search of food, managing to wander all the way to the Pantheon then through Piazza Navola. We started nowhere near those locations. We were aiming for a place called Da Francesco which was closed, possibly for good. Instead we ate at Zio Ciro. Turned out to be very good!


Jason had an outstanding caprese and their bruschetta was one of the best. My penne with crawfish and shrimp was the best, even if I had to shell four of them myself. After our leisurely dinner we got gelato of course. It's our last night here. Gelato is a must. We found a random place between two restaurants near Piazza Navola and then sat by the fountain to enjoy it. I had an amazing peach gelato that tasted like fresh peaches. We attempted a few self portraits with the camera and they didn't come out very well. Then we walked for what seemed like forever to get back to Barberini station. Now we have to go to bed. Bags are packed and we leave for home tomorrow!

A very expensive trip to Murano

Day 18, August 20: Off to Murano! It seemed like it wouldn't happen that morning since the manager tried calling and initially they said it was full. The problem is that they are on holiday, low season but then someone called back and said a man would be there to meet us in 5 minutes to escort us to a boat. Marco escorted us on a 2 minute walk to David who drove us over the rough water. It was 10:30AM or so and already hot outside. It's amazing how humid and muggy Venice is, even at 11PM.
We entered CAM Fornace, which has an arrangement with a handful of hotels to take their guests through the factory, a demonstration, of glass blowing, and then a tour of the pieces that are for purchase.


Normally, the glass masters don't work during August because it's simply too hot. The furnace they fire the glass in burns at 1700 degrees F. I took a video of the two pieces he made and even though they hold their shape they will burn whatever touches it. They are normally placed in a cooler oven so that the glass cools gradually otherwise it will break apart in the open air. Sure enough, while we were still standing in there the bowl just fell apart into 6 pieces.

It takes 20 years of apprenticeship to be considered a master. So it is a dying art like so many around the world since the younger generation don't have the patience or wish to make more money. It's a shame. It was incredible to see how easy it was for him to make something in minutes.

Our guide, Nicola, took us through rooms of gorgeous things like grand chandeliers, sets of glassware and sculptures, some of which we fell in love with. Someone who likes shiny things wouldn't know what to do with themselves here.



A particular type of Murano glass really drew our eye. It looks like a nebula in space or the aurora borealis. It's made from a variegated agate and once fired and twisted, creates a unique mix of colors that cannot be replicated. This type is called calcedonia. There is a layer of the crystal clear glass then this color under it. We initially fell in love with a piece called "The Dancers", like twists of reddish taffy with this rainbow calcedonia through it. But at €19,000, it was the most expensive thing in the room. So we looked at other pieces. We found an amazing one that looks like 2 jellyfish swimming in opposite directions. It doesn't look like much but when light hits it the sculpture comes to life.

We bought the jellyfish one and I still can't believe we bought it. So now we need to build the wall cabinet we keep talking about in order to put that in a place Jax can't touch it. We also get a dedication from the artist, Dino Rosin who helped create the ceiling in the Bellagio lobby, so we asked him to dedicate it to our first wedding anniversary.

As an extra token for purchasing the sculpture, they had me pick out a necklace. I figured it would be like the ones we've seen in all the stores, something about €20. But Nicola was presenting me with necklaces that they were charging €180 for! Granted it's a huge mark up but that surprised me.

According to Nicola because it was down season they would mainly just take guests of hotels on tour and be able to offer them pieces at cost like for art gallery buyers. The artist also has a say on how much to charge depending on their labor. Don't know if that's all true but I'd like to think we were able to get a good deal on the piece.


So after that shocking trip they boat you back to San Marco Square. It was a beautiful ride getting to see the different sights along the way. The rest of the afternoon following lunch at a little place was shopping for little gifts. The farther from San Marco Square, the cheaper everything is, especially if you go over the Rialto Bridge. The same pieces can be €5 cheaper. After shopping it was back to the hotel to drop stuff off, San Marco Square to take pictures, and peek into the shop we'd seen the night before with all the Calcedonia pieces to compare what we bought. We found duplicates to pieces at the factory but CAM obviously kept the best ones for themselves.


We took a nap back at the hotel then rolled back out to dinner at 9PM. Nicola recommended Ristorante Alla Madonna just over the Rialto Bridge (remember, more affordable and better food!). It is popular with the Venetians so you know it's good. The seafood risotto was excellent, grilled vegetables were delicious and Jason had a crab appetizer that was really tasty but also served in its shell. The shell looked so cool with all the barnacles on it. The only negative was that they left bread from the previous guests on the table. When you get charged for bread, you'd like to know that other guests' hands haven't been there too. After that filling meal, it was a slow stroll back to the hotel.

To Venezia

Day 17, August 19: Off to Venezia! We had breakfast then headed for the train station. It would be a straight shot in three hours with a few stops along the way. Kind of a shame since it wastes daytime but better than transferring three times on a night train.

So I learned that Venice proper is the ghetto city and the Venice that everyone goes to visit with the water canals is Venezia Santa Lucia. When we got off the train it was 3ish in the afternoon and hot as hell.

Our hotel was over a mile away. The jerks who drive water taxis are again, out to screw you. They wanted to charge €40 to take us to our hotel. There was mention about a charge for our bag too. We didn't bother to check the public boat fares but we did take that on the way back. It's €6.50 per person for a one hour ticket.


So we walked through the narrow alleyways crammed with little stores and past other tourists. The walk was rather pleasant aside from the brutal heat that caused us to sweat profusely. I actually had sweat dripping down my nose from my sunglasses. It was nice to walk through and get a sense of the roads. And there were no cars or scooters to dodge here, just slow or clueless people. =)

We finally arrived at our hotel, Ca'Del Campo which was a nice little place not far from San Marco Square. We had plenty of time to explore and have a late lunch. We asked the clerk at the front desk about places to eat, gondola prices, and how to check out a Murano factory the next day. He gave us lots of good information. Too bad it wasn't all accurate.

We walked out to Campo San Paolo and the pizzeria the clerk suggested was closed until dinner so we went across the square to another pizzeria that was very good. I had a very rich lemon gelato dessert with limoncello gel swirls in it. I'm sure it was terrible for me but it was SO worth it.

We went back and talked to the guy again, asking details about going to Murano. He said we could talk to the manager the next morning and he could call a factory they have an agreement with so we could tour the place and see how Murano glass is made!

So we went back up to the room, had a quick little nap and decided even though it's expensive, we would do a gondola ride to say we've done it. This is where the clerk left out some critical information. There is a gondola stop right outside our hotel so we talk to the oldest gentleman there, Esteban. We were told the price is €80 for a 30 minute ride (that would be $120 US for those of you doing conversion) and it turns out that's just the 'day' rate. After 7PM it goes up!


Esteban agrees to take us for the day rate since it's right after 7 PM and we were unaware of the rate hike. He's been doing this for 30 years so he was an excellent guide. It was amazing how he and the rest of his fellow gondoliers can steer through these canals passing things with two inches to spare. He explained some of the buildings, like the one Casanova used to reside in (or escape from if he was in trouble). The legend is at midnight you can sometimes see his ghost return to the place.


We also learned that each man owns his gondola but works for a company who runs the whole thing. They now have to pass a test whereas in previous generations just being the son of a gondolier meant you could become one too. Unfortunately, his son is one of those water taxi drivers, his enemy. Now as wonderful a novelty as it is, I can safely say I have no interest in doing a Gondola ride again. We don't even think we got the full time we paid for and it's so expensive just for a little ride around in the water.


We then walked out to San Marco Square. The place is covered with pidgeons and people. Cafés have huge setups of tables and chairs as well as amazing musicians playing beautiful music to draw people in. But that is the scene I would picture for Italy.


We wandered along a few store fronts with beautiful glass sculptures and that just got us more excited for our tour tomorrow. Everything is so amazing. We managed to find a few beautiful sets of jewelry for ladies in our lives and then headed off to Mascaron for dinner since it was recommended by both our clerk and Esteban. The place is again, typical Italian setup, crammed, busy, loud. But it's also affordable.

We finally got seated with menus and the Italian one is the only current one, filled in everyday depending on what they get for fresh fish. Jason settled on grilled sole and octopus salad while I went with cuttlefish, Venitian style. I don't know what that means but I believe it means it's prepared in squid ink because the dish is a plate of black sauce with slices of cuttlefish chopped up in it. They also use a tomato infused olive oil but you can't see it. The dish was really good.

Gelato was in order after that. Places were already shutting down so we had to move fast. Finally, we found a place near us and enjoyed a really delicious flavor that was like butterscotch! Then we casually window shopped on our way back.

The Duomo and Accademia

Day 16, August 18: Today we couldn't manage to get Jason up in time for breakfast so we settled for a small bite next door which wasn't great but then we headed to the Duomo. We walked in and this time I was prepared with a shirt that covered my shoulders.

The Duomo is completely opposite the other churches in the sense that it is far prettier and ornate on the outside than the inside. The outside is covered with carvings and green and white marble. Plus the size of the place alone is intimidating. Inside is plain aside from the beautiful stained glass windows, some of which had shutters closed for some reason.


The area near and above the altar was beautiful and the painting on the dome was fascinating in detail. It depicted hell, tragedy on earth and then the different levels in the heavens with angels and philosophers painted so it looked like they were hanging out from their window looking down into the room. There was also a cool 24 hour clock hanging on the back wall.

We left, stopped for gelato and I was surprised at the line of people waiting to climb the cramped stairs to the top of the Duomo. But the line for the Accademia was just as bad. A few American girls were waiting in line just in front of us and one went to check ahead. She came back with the report that one guy near the front said he waited an hour and a half to get in. Ugh. Jason talked to a woman who was in the reservation line who said she got her reservation ticket at the Uffizi so she didn't have to wait in the long line here.

So we stepped out of line to go there instead. But I saw one of the American girls across the street buying water at a cafe so I felt it was only right I let her and her friend know what we'd just learned. She said they'd waited an hour at the Uffizi the day before! We thought we were screwed now that we stepped out of line but she invited us to join her and her friend back in line. Thank goodness for good Karma.

The rest of the time passed quickly in line while we chatted with Carrie and Lauren. Carrie is a senior at Villanova and Lauren just graduated so she's starting a job when she gets back from Europe. They are doing a whirlwind tour through Florence, Zurich, and Paris all in 10 days and partying all the way.

They recommended a wonderful place for dinner, La Giostra. More on that later. Jason and I split from the girls once inside since they had to catch a train in a few hours. We wandered through an amazing collection of photographs by a deceased photographer named Robert Mapplethorpe. He was fascinated with the human body so there is a series of nudes in different positions and settings. They look just incredible, with muscles rippling and bodies torqued.

Then we finally saw the real David. He is so beautiful. I was studying all the details and imagining the talent and time it took to create this sculpture. I walked around him twice trying to study every inch. Everything else there paled in comparison. We lazily walked around and had lunch at Il David in the square by the Bastille. The food is okay considering it's in a tourist area. I got the Spaghetti aglio olio con pepperoncino and Jason got a ravioli with tomato cream sauce. His didn't have much flavor without the parmesan sprinkled over it. The bread however was the worst bread I've ever tried to eat. Even putting garlic, oil, and cheese didn't make it good. If we're forced to pay for bread the least it can be is edible. At least the espresso was decent.

This is also the first city we've seen gypsies in. They're pretty aggressive too. They don't just walk away from patrons unless the waiters shoo them away. Otherwise, if you acknowledge them even with eye contact they'll stand there mumbling, asking for something and even nudge your arm.


We walked around a little more after lunch and eventually stumbled on the Palazzo Strozzi where they are currently displaying a Galileo exhibit that explores his discoveries as well as others' creations designed to chart the sky, astronomy, and to tell time. It was an amazing layout of old and complicated time pieces that would align the movement of the stars with the calendar and the time of day. There were pictures depicting what people under the influence of a sign and planet were prone to. Apparently, I'm under the moon's influence which means being good at computation (HA!) and justice.

But under another picture it showed Jupiter being connected to Pisces which showed writing and creativity, then another sculpture showed Pisces rules the feet. Jason was very proud that he as a Scorpio, rules the genitals. Astrolabes, ancient clocks, and sundials were interspersed with paintings and sculptures as well as layouts of what was the solar system at the time. The most disturbing painting was of Saturn devouring his child. Legend is that his parents predicted that Saturn, the controller of time would be overthrowned by one of his children. He decided to devour his children in order to prevent it.

It was very enlightening and after a leisurely stroll again we came across all the places Carrie and Lauren mentioned - Old Stove for a mellow bar, Red Garter for a club/karaoke and Space for hardcore drunken good times. We also stopped briefly into the Ferrari store, did a little window shopping, then stumbled onto La Giostra. Perfect since it was dinner time. We had a charming, handsome waiter, who we're sure if he came to the States would pull more tail than he could handle.


La Giostra is a beautiful typical Florence restaurant with arched brick ceilings, intimate space, and a taper candle burning at your table. There are strings of lights crisscrossed and twinkling above and pictures of famous visitors like Chevy Chase, Eli Manning, the new Superman, Brandon Ruth as well as various Italian stars we didn't recognize along the walls.

They serve complimentary Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) that is delicious and very drinkable. Refills are welcome. They also serve a free appetizer sampler of the following: bruschetta pomodoro and another of rabbit liver, lightly breaded cheese ball with bits of herb and maybe crab in it, mozzarella and tomato, pickled eggplant, mortadella, and a stuffed pepper that had ground meat, olives, and herbs in it.


Jason got a caprese salad with honey, figs, toasted pine nuts, and walnuts that went so well together. The cheese was the most unusual. It was the shape of a beggar's purse with a younger cheese wrapped inside. I had fried artichokes which were delicious but unnecessary after the free dish.

Then we got the dish they are well known for, a pear and cheese ravioli. It's cheese with a hint of pear and it's delicious. But we also realized that here at home, we've been spoiled too. Maurizio's in Morgan Hill has an amazing pear and asiago cheese fiocchi where you can really taste the pear. So if you haven't been there and you want some authentic Italian, that is the place to go! We finished with an excellent espresso (actually tasted like dark chocolate) and cappuccino. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful day.

Heading to Florence

Day 15, August 17: Woke up very late. Jason for some reason couldn't sleep and by the time I woke up he had all our laundry folded. We packed up then went to meet cousin Frankie and his wife Lisa who run a beautiful little B&B there. Frankie is Cosimo's nephew. Lisa speaks great English since she grew up in Canada. She gave us a tour of the place as well as their beautiful home. Gorgeous!

Then we took Cosimo back with us to have lunch at Michele and Jovanine's. Cosimo now happily chats away at me. Hard to believe the first time he met me he didn't say a word. He cracks me up.

After some confusion about where we were eating, we had a light lunch at the house where Jovanine pulled everything out from the evening before along with a tartufo cheese that Jason was excited about, bread, and another melon. We then said farewell and received a very sweet gift of an embroidered runner for a table at home and a bottle of limoncello.

Mom and Dad then took us to the train station. They're cute, they always feel compelled to show us different buildings and wanted to show us the town eventhough everything was closed for holiday. They wanted to point out where Frankie and Lisa used to have their butcher shop eventhough they weren't sure exactly which building it was, and we had to go by the BIG supermarket. That turned out to be closed so we had to shop at the little one.

We got to the station pretty early and were greeted by the sight of a bunch of raver kids wanting to get to Rome in search of the next party. Some of them were still tweaking and one guy was so high and angry at another that he tried to throw a rock at him. The other guy was stupid enough to continuously go back and try to talk with him which would just rile him up again. A few of their friends would split them up.

Finally, the cops showed up and that calmed them down immediately. I'm amazed he could keep his composure. One of the youngest, still flying, walked across the tracks with his arm out like he was going to stop traffic with it, just to take a leak on the opposite wall. Very classy.

We finally got on the train far away from them but some eventually wandered into the car next to us. That would have been fine since they were the sober ones but a couple of the stupid girls went to smoke between the cars (you can't smoke in the cars) like no one could smell it. Dumb shits.


We were glad to get off that train and hop onto a Eurostar train with reserved seating and A/C that works. Fancy and faster. We arrived in Firenze in the evening around 7 PM. Our hotel, Hotel Adriatico was lovely. Down at the desk we asked for a dinner suggestion, preferrably where she would eat herself. Instead, she directed us to a restaurant who had supplied the hotel with their business cards. The place, Buca Mario, I'm sure was good but it was expensive. Negative points for her.

Instead, we wandered the surprisingly quiet streets and found a place called El Grillo. Never even ate there because it took forever for us to get a menu even though the small front patio seemed to have 3 waiters working. Well, only one looked like he knew what he was doing. No one came to take our order even after Jason tried to flag one down so we got up and left.

We finally ended up at Osteria Dell'Agnolo or Angel's Inn. Cute front with a weird pizza parlor setting in the back and upstairs. It's almost like a hofbrau. But the food was surprisingly good considering our surroundings. I had a lovely cheese tray with pears, walnuts, and honey. Jason had a tasty spaghetti aglio olio con pepperoncino or oil and peppers. A little parmesan and you've got a tasty simple meal. After that we checked out the Bastille, saw the fake David and other amazing statues before enjoying a gelato while we strolled back to the hotel.

Pools and Village Fireworks

Day 14, August 16: Mellow Day! Woke up and went to see the house that Mom and Dad are building here in the village before going to the pools in Roccamandolfi. Only the shell of the house is there right now with windows and shutters but it's already a beautiful home. It will be amazing when it's done, 3 stories high and built to last.


The pools were a welcome treat and a beautiful surprise. They're tucked away in the middle of the mountains, apparently mafia owned, at least as rumor goes. There are 3 pools complete with a bridge, rocks to jump off of, and waterfalls. The water is chilly at first but when you're baking in the sun, it feels so good. The only thing that would have made it better was if people weren't smoking around us. It's already 94 degrees out, why add any heat to it? It's disgusting how much people smoke here. But the location serves for fantastic people watching. There was a woman in a thong, men who need a back wax, but the best by far was a young man rocking a swim outfit straight out of the '70s. It was a matching set of short swim shorts and fitted, collared, short sleeve shirt open at the top in a '70s floral pattern of pinks, corals, and oranges. Oh, and a pair of aviator shades. Hotness.

After the pools we came home for a shower before going back to Jovanine and Michele's for dinner. We got a tour of the property from Michele and learned in translation through Mike to Dad the full process in making prosciutto. He and Jovanine will actually slaughter the pig on their property and cut off the leg to make the proscuitto. These people do NOT mess around.


They cut the leg off a freshly killed pig, salt it, leave it for a month or two, salt it again and press it in a press (similar for wine) for 3-4 days. After that they hang it in a room from bamboo pole lattices across the ceiling, smoking it for 3 months slowly. It takes place between January and March since it provides a good cold smoke. After the smoking is completed and dried it hangs in their basement behind a screen (to protect it from bugs) for two years. It develops some serious mold but once you clear that away, you shave the meat off with a deli slicer. No wonder the stuff is so expensive.

Dinner was homemade by Jovanine of course. We had a delicious baked gnocchi with tomato sauce, much lighter since it wasn't made with potato. I didn't even know until today gnocchi could be made without potato. Turns out there are different kinds. There was also prosciutto, sausage, cheese, grilled zucchini and eggplant drizzled with olive oil, chicken, and bread. All amazing and probably all from their own backyard. Dessert was limoncello and a delicious melon (also from their backyard) that looked like a cross between a honeydew and a cantaloupe. It even had the green flesh with a tinge of orange on the top.

After dinner we followed Mom and Dad up the way to meet Michele's brother and wife. Apparently, the brother has had a falling out with the family because of how the brother handled things before their mother died. Their mother was Cosimo's sister and she took care of him until his 40s. Then he married this Romanian woman and they all lived under the same roof. The mother claimed the new wife was mean to her and she couldn't live there anymore. She moved out and died shortly after. The family doesn't care much for her because she's not as open as the rest of the family.


After that awkward visit we went to the big festival in another town. We took a very long winding road and parked on the side of a pitch black road like everyone else. We walked into town where it was lined with stands of junk, art, candy, and food. That's more of what I expect to see at a festival. There was a band playing music and walking further up into town, we arrived at the main square where there was a fantastic blind singer performing. His name is Eduardo Bernado and he sang for over two hours! But his music was fun and he had a talented band and backup singers.

I've come to accept that in this culture blatant staring is normal. Especially when it's me in a small town. I don't think they mean anything by it (most of the time) but I assume they're fascinated or baffled that I'm there in the flesh. But it's a little frustrating with the lack of smiling. Eastern Europeans aren't known for smiling but even when making eye contact with them or smiling at them, there's no response. It's strangely flat like they're startled I caught them.

There was a couple Jovanine and Michele know who said hello to them but we were standing a little further away so we didn't meet them. The wife was obviously bored at the concert so she was looking around and I noticed out of the corner of my eye, she kept looking back at me. I caught her at one point looking me up and down, blank faced. Maybe her face at rest looks unhappy but I smiled at her and she blankly turned back around. Shortly after, she tapped her husband with an annoyed look like, "Let's go, I'm tired".


Finally, Eduardo finished and we went back out of town in order to watch the fireworks. It was weird since they did it in two sets. The end of each set was like they accidently fired off the reserve in one go. It was so loud and so many exploding it sounded like they were starting the next war. And at the end there would be three clean bursts to let people know that was the end. It was very impressive.

At 1:30, we were finally home. I think Croatia's parties spoiled us. I have no interest in coming back for the festivals, mainly because we couldn't ever sit down!

Macchiagodena - Italy, local style

Day 13, August 15: Got up for the first time in awhile without an alarm. Didn't really hear the roosters but that's because we didn't have our window open. It was so hot when we woke up. We woke up late and were supposed to be at Dad's cousin's, Michele (Michael) and Jovanine's house by 11 or so. Cosimo and Nanny are staying with them. But when we got there dressed casually in shorts and tshirts (other than Mom who was dressed nicely as always) everyone else was in pants and the ladies were in heels! So we turned back around and changed, none too pleased with Nanny because she'd said it wasn't a fancy event though we heard something about visiting a church.

Turns out the weekend is all about festivals in the different villages to celebrate various saints. We rushed back to the house to find out there was no hurry. Everyone rushes to get somewhere and then they move slowly.


We got a tour from Dad and Michele, who doesn't speak English but he's a gentle, softspoken man. His home is gorgeous and he has a hidden basement where they store everything they make - tomato sauce, olive oil, cheese, pickled veggies, proscuitto, even wine! They also have an extensive garden of incredible fruits and veggies as well as chickens in a coop. We got to see Marie-Antoinette, their daughter, which was a treat since we thought we would miss her on our trip. She came to the States two years ago with her friend Roxanna and we had a great time. Turns out she was leaving for the beach later in the afternoon.


We arrived at Nigol's house where we met him, his wife Therese, their mother, son Pietro Jr, grandfather Pietro Sr., niece Angelica and her family. Angelica was wonderful to have at the lunch since she speaks English really well and can translate for everyone. She has a very sweet and bubbly personality.

We sat on the front porch for a quick snack of tea sandwiches then walked to the church down the road which confused us. Weren't we here for a leisurely lunch? Down at the church, there was mass service while music was playing outside where people were gathered eating peanuts and drinking beer. It was a strange scene with people moving in and out of the church to attend mass as they pleased then join a little social gathering outside. For Jason and I it was a little boring after awhile since no one could really speak English and we didn't know most of the people. We did get to meet some of the people Mom and Dad kept mentioning though, like the architect, Micolino building their house. So it was nice to put faces to names.

After a beer, some peanuts, and really good pork, it was back to Nigol's for lunch at 3PM. All the houses here are beautiful. They have granite floors which are unbelievable, murano glass chandeliers, and things are spotless throughout. These houses are built to last forever. When we arrived the two grandmothers were still sitting on the porch, this time in different chairs. Turns out the plastic ones they were sitting on both bent under them and they both fell to the floor. Fortunately, they were both okay.

We sat down to prosciutto, melon, and mozzarella for the antipasti then lasagne. We thought that was it. But this was a full Italian meal so second piatti was breaded veal with peas and cheese and a chicken dish with tomato and cucumber salad. The problem was this wasn't family style where we could choose how much to put on our plates. And the word "No" is not acknowledged when it comes to food and Italians. We didn't want to seem rude and refuse a dish. We also had wine of course but I need water too. The grandfather said, "You only drink water when the wine is bad". Great. So I begged Angelica to at least hook me up with small portions like she'd been serving herself. Even then, I couldn't finish what was on my plate without the strong likelihood of my lunch reappearing on their dinner table. I'm pretty sure that's far more insulting.

Jason on the other hand was trying to be good and finish everything on his plate. They gave him a regular serving because they figure he's a big guy who can eat. I on the other hand felt no pressure to finish everything. I'm a light eater and a lightweight. I explained through charades and my very limited Italian that if I drank too much wine I would go to sleep. Again, I'm pretty sure that's rude. I also learned through Chinese dinners that if you clean off your plate, people will ask if you want more so I leave something on my plate in order to avoid the question all together. It's an actual strategy.

All of this might have been okay had it been a typical meal where it takes 3 - 4 hours to eat. But they did this in under 2 hours! Before dessert came Jason and I both had to get some air and stand up. I had a horrible case of edema in my feet and ankles which freaked me out since that never happens. The tops of my feet were so swollen they had an imprint of the straps from my heels and it was uncomfortable to flex my ankles. No wonder pregnant women are uncomfortable.

Dessert found us on the front porch and Jason managed to eat about half the slice of homemade cake. I managed a few pieces of the fruit on top. But I did enjoy a light lemon filled cake Therese made instead.

At this point, Nanny and Cosimo were at Cosimo's cousin's house and so we went to pick them up. All of us were ready to throw up we were so full. We couldn't wait to go home but first we had to just fetch Nanny and Cosimo.


There's no such thing as a short visit in Italy. We walked into this stunning home where they were wrapping up their party. It is a handsome couple with their three kids who live in this phenomenal mansion. It is a mix of rustic Italian countryside and contemporary architecture with all the amenities and technology you need in a home.

The outside has beautiful stone and brickwork set in ways I've rarely seen in homes, copper gutters, and ragging effect on the walls. Inside, the shapes and design put into the place is incredible. Things look graceful and well thought out. Each room has a bathroom attached, space and storage is utilized well, and there is a digital sound system throughout the house. There is also an amazing stone spiral staircase with lights set low in the wall as you ascend past long window slices that let the light in. There are pocket doors that separate that room from the banquet room so that there is no wasted space but there's privacy if you need it.


Above their garage is their backyard which contains a lovely pool, with a mosaic picture of a nautical star surrounded by 3 dolphins at the bottom. There is a covered patio area and lawn, outdoor stone shower for rinsing off and the lawn slopes down the hill to the front of the house. At the front there is a sweet little creek with waterfall that runs under a bridge into a watermill and well. In the pool are two turtles happily swimming around. It was a treat to get a tour of this amazing home.


After all that (which helped the digestion), we went into the house to get a little water and gather the folks up. We tried to avoid sitting down at the table since we knew what would happen but we lost out and had to sit down. Sure enough, not just water appeared on the table. There were 7 different drinks to choose from and homemade tiramisu and fruit followed right after that. We politely finished then got the hell out before more food started rolling out.

Finally, we got home and were able to lie down for a nap. At 9 PM, we awoke and wondered if we missed the festival. Ah, not so. In Italy, they're night owls. It was back at the church for the small festival. There was a crepe station manned by a young man who acts like an artist of the crepe considering his painfully slow pace. You need to speak up since there is no line and there are kids who are willing to take advantage and cut in line. There was a food truck that is run by Jovanine and Mike's son's, Johnny's girlfriend and her family (got that?).

Other than that, there was the beer station, a couple of kids's rides, and a stage where musicians performed then a comedian came on and lasted for two hours. I'm sure he's funny but since we couldn't understand him we lost interest quickly. I was amazed Mom stood and watched the entire thing. We saw Mary, the sweet lady who lives across the street, as well as Angelica's sister and grandmother when Jason and I decided to sit down and chat while people watching.

We left when the comedian started singing. Then we were invited back in to Nigol and Therese's for espresso. Of course, once we sat down at the table food came rolling back out, this time in reverse order. Dessert first, then main courses, then antipasti. At least this time we could choose what went on our plate. At long last we left and went home, very full and very tired.

Amalfi Coast- Positano and Capri

Day 12, August 14: I like to think of today as a scout and research day. We had a long breakfast and walked to the bus station to go to Positano. It was a lousy trip with the very windy road, which was managable. But then the A/C unit in the bus was leaking all over some of us. The half the back of my dress was wet by the time we got off. Nasty.


As soon as we exited the bus and started walking down, we knew we should have allowed more time here. The tiny roads winding down the mountain are lined with stores, cafés, and trinket stands with trellises of bright pink bougainvillea providing shade everywhere. It's so picturesque and the paths stretch up and down the mountain like a maze. It's unbelievable people decided to build properties here. Even in Sorrento there are roads that run through incredibly high walls of rocks with stairs snaking up them for pedestrians. Who said, "Let's dig straight down and carve out a path to the water"?

We did a little shopping (a couple sexy swim wraps), peeked in a little church, and got to the beautiful shore. That was when we fully regretted not being in our swim stuff. It was so hot out and when we dipped our feet in the water, it was perfect. So that made me a little cranky.

We ate by the beach at a place Jason's friend recommended, Le Tre Sorelle or the Three Sisters. It was very good! I ordered a tomato salad and a dish of prosciutto with figs. I've been on a fig kick ever since Croatia. Jason got an amazing gelato across the way at another cafe afterwards.


We hopped on a boat to Capri, a beautiful and relaxing ride across the water, and arrived on an island of sugardaddies with their young trophies on their arms. There were families there as well but Capri is known for the high end shopping like Fendi, Bulgari, D&G, Gucci, La Perla, and an expensive shoe lined called Hogan. Sneakers are around $200. We saw what appeared to be a pro soccer player with shopping bags over his shoulder, walking through with his family, (hot wife, 3 kids, the oldest maybe 13) completely decked out in labels like POLO or D&G and running around the different windows pointing excitedly at things that caught their eye. Most kids their age wouldn't even know to look at half the things they drooled over. But people are right, Capri is overrated.

We got a slush and gelato then searched for information on the Blue Grotto. We found out the last excursion leaves at 4:15 from the shore. We were at the top of the mountain and the guide said if we were able to make the next tram down (4:15) they would wait the 5 minutes it would take us to get down there before leaving for the excursion. There were too many people trying to make their way down so we missed it. I was disappointed. Had I thought about it, I would have spoken up about finding that information first and forfeited walking around the shops until later.


Instead, we left the line and hopped on a bus that was supposed to take us to a different beach, Marina Piccolo. Jason and I were depending on Mom and Dad since they'd been here a few times before but it had been awhile and they didn't remember exactly how to get to the beach. So after some confusion with the bus ticket vendor selling Dad twice as many tickets as we needed, we hopped on the bus. But when we got off a stop we were told is Anacapri we discovered from a few policemen that the entire area is called Anacapri and we were no where close to the Marina. So we got on another bus back to downtown to catch the tram back down the mountain. At that point I was cranky. But it wasn't anything gelato couldn't fix. =) We enjoyed a big scoop after buying some Meloncello to take home and a hat for Jason. So we know for next trip, spend more time in Positano, wear our bikini/ trunks, and we'll make one more trip to Capri just to see the Blue Grotto.

We went back to Sorrento to fetch our bags and car, and then head out to Macchiagodena. We stopped at a random restaurant called Navajo in the middle of nowhere. Service has been pretty competent everywhere else until now. It took 10 minutes just to get menus and beer. The place wasn't busy, it was just out in the country where no one is in a hurry. I ordered a pasta dish the young waiter said was his favorite. It was a light cream tomato sauce with ham, basil, and small curly twist pasta (I forget the name). It was yummy!

We arrived here in Macchiagodena around midnight. Ready for bed and glad to be at the hometown. I get to sleep on this surprisingly comfortable murphy bed and we have to wear earplugs because the roosters can start crowing at 5 A.M.

Cassino, Napoli, Sorrento

Day 11, August 13: Officially half way through our trip. We hop on a train first thing in the morning to meet Mom and Dad Giancola, my in-laws, in Cassino. It's wonderful to meet up in Europe and do a little family trip. We walk through the Monte Cassino Church which stands atop a mountain and it's where St. Benedict's sarcophagus resides. The place has been destroyed three times. Once by earthquake, once sacked and burned down in 883 AD, and once bombed in an air raid during WWII when it was believed the German soldiers were using it as a stronghold. Even after that bombing St. Benedict's tomb was unharmed.

Inside is incredibly ornate. Lots of colored marble and gold everywhere. The ceilings in the prayer room below the altar is all mosaic work that is so beautiful. There were more artifacts, bibles, and paintings here as well as pieces of the old church, again with the porphyry sprinkled in. Now with all of it gone from the earth the church had to be rebuilt with a different kind of marble.

Then we head off for Napoli to find a pizzeria that our friends Brian and Jennifer rave about. It's in an area that reminds me of the San Francisco tenderloin. Not glamourous but definitely has some character. Pizza Trianon was excellent. There are a few locations but we went to the one on Via Colletta Pietro. The place is 4 stories high with a brick oven on every floor. It was packed when we arrived and we got a spot on the top floor by the windows. Service is a little slow delivering but they're friendly. The pizzas are also a bigger, American style size, it's not a personal sized pizza.


After pizza and a few errands at the train station we had an adventure just trying to get out of the city and back onto the freeway. Finally, we headed to Sorrento. A few hours later, we arrived staring at the amazing hotels and homes built right on the sheer cliff jutting straight out of the ocean.


The roads get more windy and tight with scooters still weaving through with no hesitation. Pedestrians also step out knowing the cars will stop for them. It's amazing people make it to adulthood here but I give them points because in all this chaos everyone looks incredibly calm. No road rage here.

We stayed at the beautiful Hilton Palace Sorrento, up on the hill with a view of the town, mountains, ocean, and Mt. Vesuvius in the background. The hotel is beautiful, airy with bright colors and the staff is wonderful. But you can see where the hotel cut costs in building. Short pillars on a stair rail are painted to look like marble to match the lobby floors, the floors in the rooms are laid with something like tatami mats, and the walls are paper thin sheet rock. You hear EVERYTHING in the hallways and sometimes the next room. A person walking by in their flip flops sounded like they were walking right into our room.

The worst design in the place is the door to the balcony. It's a catch lock with no door handle on the outside. So if you close the door completely while you're outside, you're stranded on the balcony with no phone to call for help unless you have your cell. There are no warning signs on the doors about it either. So without knowing this, I followed Jason out onto the balcony and out of habit, closed the door. We had to then climb over to Mom and Dad's balcony (startlingly easy, they're all separated by a low piece of glass) and walk back through their room. Ridiculous. I wonder how often people get stuck out there.

We went for a drink downstairs since it was happy hour. Jason ordered a really nice limoncello and I enjoyed Bailey's on the rocks. We sat next to a well dressed family who's son was rocking an outstanding outfit. He looked about 14, dressed in a white linen suit, fuschia collared button down shirt, and I believe there was a pocket square. All he was missing was the gold chain and chest hair. Pimp. Mom and Dad joined us after their nap (they are still adjusting to the time) for a glass of wine.

Then we went to dinner down by the water at a place called Zi'ntonio. This place was hit or miss. Beautiful view on the water with sneaky mosquitoes (little bastards), good wine, nice staff. I tried fried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese for the first time. Deeelicious! But my risotto seafood was only half great. All of the seafood was excellent and cooked to perfection except for the calamari strips (at least I think that's what they were) which were a strange, unenjoyable texture and the rice was a little more al dente than I hoped, a little crunchy still.


The fish Mom and Dad received was really good and so was the octopus salad Jason ordered. Unfortunately his grilled sole was bland. But we figure this 'disappointment' is because we've been spoiled so far in the trip. All that homemade food with items fresh from the garden! After dinner we caught the restaurant shuttle back up the crazy tight little street and headed off to bed.

The Forum, Pantheon, and Castel Sant'Angelo

Day 10, August 12: After all the sights yesterday, we had plenty of time today to leisurely check out the rest of the sights. Our first stop was the ruins at the Forum. It was incredibly hot in the sun so I was thankful we had our ticket from yesterday to walk to the front of the line. We had our breakfast right outside while people watching. Worst outfit to date: a woman in t-shirt, shorts, knee-high nylons and sandals. Yes, knee-high nylons and sandals. They were nude colored so maybe she thought no one would notice but you could clearly see the top of the stocking below her knees. She was also holding an umbrella so perhaps the nylons were to protect her from the sun?


The sight of the massive structures throughout Rome is awe inspiring. How did the Romans erect such enormous architecture that still stand today? It's hard to believe that we are walking on the same paths that Cesar and other emperors and diplomats walked in their lifetimes. We saw where they held the games and what used to be the living quarters.

After that we strolled and took a few shots of the Vittorio building and stopped for lunch along the way where I had a huge, amazing though expensive piece of watermelon and a delicious spaghetti with clams. Also rediscovered Fanta. It's so much better than here because it actually tastes more like real orange flavor. Now it was on to the Pantheon.


Again, the building is massive but the outside is deceiving as to how incredible the inside is. The dome is humungous and there is marble in every square inch. There are actually a lot of pieces of prophyry throughout the place. There's also a large opening or oculus at the top of the dome. We were wondering if it gets covered when it rains. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet. (43.3 meters). Apparently, almost 2000 years later it is still the worlds largest unreinforced concrete dome.


After that we wandered around and came upon Castel Sant'Angelo - an enormous building with a bridge (the Ponte Sant'Angelo) stretching across the Tiber River, each pillar on the bridge supporting an angel statue that holds an item involved with the Passion. We walked through the tunnels under the castle and up many stairs before we reached a small open courtyard. After that, there are a number of rooms to proceed through, each containing artifacts, paintings, even one with ornately designed guns. One gun was inlaid with pearl-like shell carved into animals and flowers among the carved wood. Things came from all over the world like a jade carved horn from China and a carved wooden paddle from the Pacific Islands.


There were more paintings on the walls and ceilings. Then there was a set of stairs leading to the top of the castle. It's a stunning view of Rome. The city doesn't seem so big from up there. Walking back through the castle you can see where guns used to be placed to defend it and you realize it's a pretty amazing castle. Apparently, there is also the option to tour the catacombs below and see the prison too.


Leaving Sant'Angelo we weren't too far from Piazza Navona near where we planned to have dinner. The piazza is beautiful with two huge fountains, one at each end, plenty of cafés, and people selling artwork and other pieces in the center. There was even a great jazz quartet playing when we entered the square.

We wandered through one of the alleyways and back to Termini Station to make train reservations. The line is long and slow but there's no where else to do this. This shady old gypsy woman wormed her way through, playing up her age and asking people's pity to let an old lady go ahead of them. She just confused some people so she got pretty far down the line until one young man refused to let her go any farther. She was actually right up against his arm asking him to let her by and he shook his head blocking her way. No wonder the Italians don't like the gypsies.

After reservations were taken care of, back to Piazza Navona to have a cappuccino somewhere. The first place was way too expensive, unless you feel paying €6 ($9) for a cappuccino is reasonable. We found a far more reasonable place just a few doors down and enjoyed the amazing people watching over a drink. There was a bored and tired Korean teenager sitting by the fountain with her mom who was busily perusing various papers she brought with her. The girl looked ready to fall over she was so tired. Then there was the odd older lady we dubbed 'The Clown' with blue face paint on the top half and red on the bottom half covering her entire visage. She topped it off with a straw hat with long whitish hair attached to it.

A pretty young blonde was standing in the square at one point, a bag attached to a trolley and she seemed to be waiting for something or somebody. 3 of the waiters looking to bring customers into their restaurants started chatting her up and there was some good flirting back and forth. At one point though, she wandered off away from the bag and out of the square!


None of the waiters seemed worried about it but that freaked us out a little bit. All those warnings in airports about unattended baggage makes us a bit paranoid perhaps. We paid for our drinks and got out of there. Then we searched for our restaurant.

Jason found a recommendation online but when we asked a few police officers they said the place was closed down. Instead, we took their advice and ate at Trattoria Da Mario - via Chiesa Nuova, 12. The owner was very sweet and helpful when it came to deciding what to eat. He recommended the octopus carpaccio salad with arugula and olive oil with lemon as well as the seafood risotto. We ordered both and I decided on a pasta with a cream/ tomato sauce that did not disappoint. Everywhere we've eaten has been so good.

There was a weird lady sitting by herself, tall blonde who didn't speak Italian. My first glance at her, she was smiling and preening like a character in a show as if she'd heard someone praising her beauty. She almost seemed like she was in a drug induced state, definitely not sober but very animated with the tendency to touch the arm of the owner, cook, and eventually another patron she struck up conversation with. She was overly flirtatious, awkward, patting the chef on the arm, then she got up from her table and left. Maybe to run an errand? She then returned later and continued eating! At the end of the evening when I came out from the restroom, she looked like she was waiting to talk to someone, maybe the owner, and she happened to be standing in the way of the doorway I needed to pass through. She smiled but when I tried to get by her she didn't bother to move so I knocked into her purse. So weird considering we were in a large, empty room. Maybe she had too much wine. After dinner we called it an early night since we have a 9:15 train tomorrow morning.