Out of Order

Yes, I know.  Those last two posts are out of order.  HOWEVER...they were part of the trip and I'm not sure why I didn't put them in before.  I guess I wanted to post them for myself and my memories if nothing else. 

Shakespeare's Verona

After our fiasco day we finally made it to Verona.  Our hotel was called the Hotel Trieste and was a wonderful little bed and breakfast.  I have never stayed at one before and while the room wasn’t fancy like those in the Starwood Hotel chains, it was spotlessly clean and the rest of the place felt just like home.  There were seating areas with cozy couches and an old wooden desk with a computer on it and it all felt just like my living room.  At night I would go sit down there and do my work with a nice glass of wine provided by the staff while the kids played on the computer.  It was great.  Jake said it has been his favorite hotel he’s ever stayed in. 

I quickly realized after walking around for only a few minutes that I like the pace of Verona much better than Venice.  While there are tourists, of course, you can tell that people actually live here.  We saw school children out all over the place having field trips and the throngs of people were absent.   There were little shady park areas with benches to sit and people watch or eat a sandwich both of which we did a few times.

Besides the lack of the zillion people this place feels more ancient.  I guess I am just a sucker for antiquities.  Verona became part of the Roman Empire in 49 B.C. and actually became known as Piccola Roma.  There is an arena here which is one of the third largest in Europe.  It was used as a gladiator arena and now it is used for opera performances and shows in the summertime.  We just missed the opening shows by a week.  My kids are grateful.

Here's a shot at night of the arena

On day 3 in Verona, we hopped on a bus and went about an hour west to Lake Garda.  Fun, fun, fun!!  We just wanted to relax and swim and play in the water so that what exactly what we did.  To get to the beach we had to walk through the drawbridge of a medieval castle.   I almost got sidetracked and had to do the castle tour right then and there but the kids reminded me of our mission.  Get to the beach.    It was a much needed break from all the touring and walking.   If anyone is considering coming to Italy I would recommend staying in a place like this and taking the bus or train into the big cities.  This is where Italy feels like Italy and not Disneyland.

We did end up getting to go into the castle a little later.  The kids ran around and played hide and seek.  In a medieval castle.  How stinking cool is that?  This one we were able to go all the way up to the top of the lookout tower where, again, my imagination soared. 



Under the Tuscan Sun

After leaving the craziness of Florence we have enjoyed a few days in the quaint little village of Rocca d' Orcia.  Other than Rome, this is my favorite place in Italy.  It is peaceful and beautiful.  So beautiful in fact that I hesitated to even take pictures.  I know that no matter the settings on my camera or how good of a photographer I will ever be nothing can capture the way the sunlight lays across the valley.  There is something special about the Tuscan sun.  It like nothing else I have ever seen.  In the morning there are big pockets of fog that lay over the low parts of the hills and the velvety green pokes out the top and the sunrise makes it all have a glow.  It's kind of like those movies where they put Vaseline on the lens to make the people look more beautiful.  But it's not a movie and there is no Vaseline.  It's real and it's right in front on my eyes.  And the sunsets...there really are no words to describe the way it all looks and my pictures, while I will post them, will never do it justice. 

On our way out we drove past a huge field of wild poppies.  There was a bright red blanket of them and above them was a cypress tree lined driveway with an old stone house on top at the end of it.  Just the way the Tuscany of my imagination was.  This did not disappoint. 

Our home was adorable in every way.  Gracie was in little girl heaven with all the sweet touches the owner had all over the place.  Little tiny tea-cups and saucers and fabric napkins and little nooks and crannies for her to explore.  Every morning I came down to a set table complete with a new centerpiece every time.  It was like her own personal doll house.  She said she wanted to bring it home with her.  I wish I could. 

Too Much Candy

You know how when you are a kid and the candy tastes so good? So good you completely overdose on it?  You eat it and eat it and it's sweet and smooth going down until the stomach ache comes along?  Well, that's pretty much how Italy works.  It's this big beautiful dream full of ancient ruins, Tuscan rolling hills, amazing food. And for the first three weeks it's all that (minus the food part, it really isn't that great at all) and then all of the sudden you wake up and everything is barf.  You're sick.  Of the dirty streets, pee on the ground of every bathroom floor and still don't know how to flush the toilets, the smell of people who don't wear deodorant, and so utterly sick of all things with a tomato base sauce you would pay a million bucks for a jalapeno or some refried beans.

So we came home early.  I had amazing time with my kids and my mom and I am so glad I got it all out of my system.  I do not feel the need to move there any more.  In fact, you couldn't pay me that million bucks I bought the jalapeno with to even consider it.  This journey was a really good one for me.  I conquered a lot of things on this trip.  Planes, trains, automobiles and speaking Italian and figuring it all out made me stronger in a way that I know will carry over into a lot of other areas of my life.

Much of my life this last 18 months has been a private journey that at times felt like I got knocked down and would never get back up.  But I think I'm ready to stand up again.  And go eat some carne asada tacos with so much hot sauce it burns my mouth off and wash it all down with a Blue Moon.  I'm home.  And I think it feels that way for the first time in a long time.

Computer Crash and Dirty Florence

As you have noticed I have not posted anything for a week.  That is because...well...to keep it clean...crap happens.  My computer crashed.  Hard disk failure or some other timely thing.  Yep.  All the hard work I put into trying to get everything ready so I could work while travelling went down the tubes.  Seems to be the theme of life these days.  What are you gonna do?  Find a little internet cafe in the middle of a 1,000 year old town in Tuscany, that's what. 

So here I am.  To catch up on Florence there is not much to say.  It was not my favorite place at all.  In fact, I really didn't like it.  It was dirty, too many people, too many cars, people weren't super friendly and I didn't find the architecture or the history very interesting at all.  The hotel and everything else nickel and dimed us to death and needless to say I was glad to leave.  The one cool thing was spending time with the kids and my mom and taking the train to the beach in Viarregio.  I will post some pics and write more later but for those who are wondering if we dropped off the earth because you haven't heard from us...we are okay.  I will write more when I get to Rome on Saturday when I have access to a free computer.  Ciao!

Musings on the Train

What do you do when you are on a train possibly in the wrong car and definitely in the wrong seat?  You write, of course.  I imagine myself in a movie right now, there is some score playing in the background and the scene is me riding on a train narrating what I’m writing. You know, like in Julia & Julia.  Except I’m not cooking.  Maybe this is more like Eat, Pray, Love meets Julia & Julia.   At this point I am on the “Eat” part of the movie.  I have been eating and eating and eating.  Because you know, calories don’t count when you are in Italy.  You can eat all the pasta and pizza and gelato you want and your butt stays the same size.  Thank the good Lord above that he created that special someone that created the high waisted summer dress. 

It’s been a few days since I gave my observations of all things Italian so it has come to that time again.  Here they are for this week:

One:  This isn’t about the Italians…it’s about the Asians in Italy.  They seriously know how to pose for pictures.  At first I thought it may have just been the one girl I saw posing while she seductively ate her gelato cone.  But oh no…it’s pretty much all of them.  None of those shots will come back boring like my “smile kids” white girl photos.  They twist and spin and arch and make sexy faces and run their fingers through their hair.  It’s amazing.  It’s like a full-blown photo shoot.   After watching this for a week and a half Jake and I decided to have our own little session.  Here’s what we came up with. 

Normally I would NEVER put a picture of myself in a bathing suit, white, beginning of summer body but if you look behind me...those are some the posing lovelies.

Two:  Italians look so amazing walking around the streets.  They look put together from head to toe.  The women are dressed to kill.  And the shoes….OH THE SHOES!!!   They have made this flip-flop, Ugg boat wearing momma want to start a new line item in the budget.  It’s amazing.  And how they walk on the cobblestone streets in them without looking like an ostrich or getting a stiletto heel stuck and falling down is beyond me.    Something about the way they walk and carry themselves has such a confidence.  Natural.  Comfortable in their skin and sexy as hell.

And the men.  I think only European men could get away with wearing purple seersucker pants and an orange shirt and it actually makes you want to run right out and buy the same outfit.  And as much as it’s all about the shoes with the women, it’s all about the pants with the men.  All I am going to say is they wear them well.  No baggy butt, pants on the ground, situations going on here.  The gays would be so proud.  And their shoes are rockin’ too…

Three:  As put together in the clothes department as they are one would think the homes would reflect that same level of “put togetherness”.  Not so much.  I guess they are too busy doing things outside the home that they don’t really worry about minor things on the interior…like whether or not the cover plate for the toilet flusher (which is way up on the wall about eye level) is even remotely straight or not.  It’s up there…that’s all the matters.   And if a tile breaks in the shower…well…whatever…the neighbor might have a spare one lying around that will fit.  It matters not if it isn’t part of the same family on the color wheel.  Again, it’s up there and that’s all that matters.

Four:  Keeping along the lines of the very relaxed construction/decorating observations, the bathroom situation in Italy leaves a lot to be desired.  It’s like they just really don’t care about the potty.  Most of the public bathrooms are unisex and if you didn’t have a nose would appear clean.  However, since most of us do have the sense of smell, it is atrocious.  I would much prefer to find a bush to hide behind and squat than have to use a toilette outside of my hotel room.  In Verona, I saw my first hole in the ground toilet that I was warned about.   I actually tried one just to see how it worked.  Kinda like peeing behind a bush.  And I wondered how these sexy women in their rockin’ stilettos accomplish such a feat.  Somehow the two images just don’t go together.  And I also wondered what a woman does when she is wearing pants?  It’s not exactly as if we can aim, you know?

Here's the hole.  I think those ridges are like some kind of foot grip??  I suppose if your legs are long enough you could brace your legs all the way against the wall.  At least they give you a toilet bowl brush so when the poop doesn't land directly in the little hole you can clean up after yourself.

Well, I think that’s enough for now.  I want to look at the beautiful Italian countryside out my window.  Ciao!

The Beginning of a Mother's Worst Nightmare

It has been a crazy few days.  Or I should say just one day was crazy.  The day we were leaving Venice the beginning of my worst nightmare happened.  I say the beginning because it ended up okay but it was the thing I have always feared the most.  One of my kids got away from me in a foreign country.  Yep...thank God it was my older one because if it was my baby I can't even imagine what would have happened. 

We were on the water taxi with all our luggage headed to the train station.  We got off the boat and after having searched and searched for the kids perfect souvenirs and finding them, we realized Jake had left them on the boat.  So he ran back and jumped on board to get it.  Well, Gracie and I are standing on the dock and I quickly realize Jake didn't come back out of the boat.  It was gone...with him on it!  Naturally I FREAKED out.  I was running around like a crazy lady to the workers in a panic.  I was trying so hard to be calm so I could explain what had happened.  I was begging her to get on the walky talky and have her talk to the boat driver and make sure I knew where to get him. 

Well, as with all things in Italy it just isn't that easy.  One would think there would be an efficient communication system between the boat drivers, the dock stations, the central station, etc.  Nope.  It's all somewhat relaxed.  Relaxed I was not.  All I could think was please Jake, do what we've always taught you...find another mom or go to the police and tell them what happened.  I just wasn't sure, at 13, what his smart little self would do.  Would he stay on the boat till it came around again?  Would he get off at the next stop?  Should I stay where I was so he could come back to me?  Should I jump in the damn Grande Canal like a lunatic mother who has lost her son and start swimming after him??  And if I did that, what would I do with Gracie?  She could hardly stand there with our three suitcases and wait for me to figure it out!  Needless to say I was seriously in a panic.

The girl helping me was wonderful but in my opinion WAY to calm about the whole thing.  She kept telling me it would be fine, we will find him.  What she didn't understand is that there is no calm when your kid is lost in a foreign country with no ID, no phone, no money, and there are really bad guys all over the place and he would be the perfect steal for someone to send to some Ukrainian male prostitution ring. 

She finally convinced me to leave that spot and go to the main terminal station where headquarters are and they could help us talk to all the boat drivers and find him.  We hop on over the HUGE bridge (I say hop extremely sarcastically...there are about 150 stairs and my suitcases easily weighed about 300 lbs each at this point) at the top of which I start having a panic attack.  I start realizing I can't breath.  I am going to have a full blown freak out.  I am sweating, hyperventilating, and about ready to sit down on the stairs and cry my little eyes out.  No, I didn't do it.  I made myself keep going so I could find my baby! 

Long story short, the boat people were no help at all.  I found out later they told him to get off the boat and walk back to where I was at the train station.  By himself.  Hello...God provided an angel woman who walked back with him and took him straight to the polizia at the terminal.  They called the hotel where I had stayed who called me and told me he was there.  At that point and in the middle of the boat managers office in front of everyone, I burst into tears and lunged into the arms of the woman who helped me for a big comforting hug.  My boy was okay. 

We were reunited at last and after hugs and tears we made a new plan for if we are ever separated again.  Gracie, being Gracie, pipes in and says, "Well thank goodness that wasn't me, because I would be lost forever.  I am too shy to talk to anyone!"  Girl cracks me up.

We finally made it to Verona after an emotionally exhausting few hours and then...my computer broke.  Apparently bouncing my laptop up and down bridges was not good for the internal components of the stupid thing.  It has been fixed thanks to another angel in disguise.

God has looked upon me and smiled today and I thank Him.

Final Day in Venice

On our final day in Venice I was thinking to myself that I will probably never be back here again so I should go ahead and do a few things that, even though they are way touristy, would be once in a lifetime things.  So I did.  I fed the pigeons in the Piazza San Marco.  I think they know that if you stand there with your arms out to the side that you have treats in your hand.  After having dodged them all week while they have zoomed past my head at lightening speed it was a little nerve-wracking to actually beckon them to land on me.  But I have to say...it was really cool and I'm glad I did it.

Of course, as are all things in this place someone came up to me while I was feeding the birds and tried to sell me bird-feed.  Really?  I thought I already had some in my hands. 

The other fun thing we did was the three of us jumped up and back down all the steps of the Al Accademia Bridge.  It's one of the three bridges that cross the Grande Canal.  Kinda felt a little like a kid again...except my jump was more like a push off with one foot first then land sorta one foot at a time.  And I had to hold the girls while I was doing it.  It's really hard to do crap like that when you're almost 40...Geez.

Here'a a pic with the kids on the bridge.



Well that's about all she wrote!  Tomorrow's agenda is a train ride to Verona.  Ciao!



Throw the Map Away

I think the best way to feel the heartbeat of any city is to do it without a map.  Just walk.  Look up.  Wander around and don’t worry about getting lost.  Stop and sit for a while and just watch.  You’ll find your way somewhere.  And if you really need it there will always be help finding your way back home.  As I have been doing just that, I was thinking about how this parallels a good motto of life to live by. 

I think so many times we get caught up in the shoulds and should nots, the supposed to be and the not supposed to be, the so called rules of it all that we completely lose the ability to just be and enjoy the journey, to just slow down and really see and feel the heartbeat of where we are.

Do we not always want to hurry things along?  To get over this hurdle so we can jump over the next one?  Head down in the map always looking for the end.  But when you stop to think about the things you learn along the way, the things you see more clearly because your eyes are wide open and looking up, isn’t it the process that is important and not the end?  So you get to the end slower than the next guy.  Who’s more content at the end?  Who is the richer for it?  Who will look backwards and see the beauty of each moment even when the feet were tired and the soul weary? 

I say the one without the map.

Creepy Gondoliers and Other Things

As I have been here for a few days now, reserving judgment of all things Venetian, I have come to form some opinions, observations and the like.  First off, I think the gondolier dudes are creepy.  Every time I have seen one he is either doing some form of air gyration or grabbing his crotch with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.  And it wasn't just one...these are different men at different bridges waiting to sucker people in.  And I think the shirts are a little "Where's Waldo"-ish.  I am of the opinion that the gondolier ride is highly overpriced, kinda cheesy, and not very romantic.  It may just be my state of mind, I'm not sure.  But it is not something I will be spending any money on.  I told the kids that will be something special they can save for their significant others when they are grown up.  Since they are coming all over the world with me, I need to leave some things for them to experience for the first time with them.  Gracie is a little peeved but she is just going to have to get over it. 

Next observation.  The Nigerian fake purse sellers are obnoxious.  There is a little stretch we have to walk by to get to the hotel and there are like 10 of them and they are PUSHY...They hover and keep saying, "Lady, hey lady, lady, you want a purse?"  No, I do not thank you very much and if I did it wouldn't be a knock-off Louis Vuitton.  I don't even really like the real ones. (Except this one my friend April has...xoxo)  

My opinion for the day.  Venice feels very different from Rome.  Rome feels ancient and yet alive...like the ghosts of the past are still very much present and a part of what is happening there.  Venice feels almost like a copy-cat.  Like it came to the game late.  It has it's own beauty and history to be sure but it feels current.  Maybe it is because it is full of tourists.  I know I am one too, but I'm different...right?  It almost feels stuffy...as in arrogant.  I know it was all part of the great Roman Empire but it most definitely has it's own personality.

Onto today's activities.  Major cool stuff we did.  First thing we did was walk over the Rialto Bridge and into the Pescheria and open air market.  I loved this.  This is where the locals are.  All the old nonnas and nonnos out for fresh food for the day.  They had their little pushcarts and knee highs on.  The men were finely dressed in their slacks and button downs.  Everyone is speaking Italian and weighing their items and counting their coins.  This is the the Italy that lives in your dreams.  Here's some pics...

 

There are about 30 different stands to choose from.  This was just two of them.

This is one of the items sold at the pescharia.  Fresh snail.  Ewww...can't get much more fresh than alive.

These crabs were alive too and kept crawling onto the fish next to them. 



Negotiating...

We chose fresh strawberries and cherries then headed over to the little meat market for some sliced soppressata.  They spoke no English in there so I had to practice sign language with the piccolo Italiano I know.  Over to the fresh pane (bread) shop and we had ourselves a little breakfast spread to take to the park.  I conducted my first entirely Italian business transaction in that bread shop.  I'll never forget it.  I was so proud of myself.  Here's what I said..."Tre cannoli alla crema e due ciambella per favore".  After she gave it all to me I, of course, said "Grazie!"  So cool...

Not that they would ever say it out loud but I think the kids are getting into this whole thing.  It was their suggestion to wait to eat until we walked allllll the way to the other end of town to get to the park. 

                                                 Jake looks silly but he enjoyed the food.

After breakfast we headed over on the water taxi to the island of Murano, the home of Murano Glass.  In 1291, the government of Venice decreed that all glass blowing be moved to Murano island.  Some say this was so that Venice could hold the monopoly on this money making enterprise.  The other reason is because it was a huge fire hazard and one stray flame could burn the entire island of Venice to the ground.  From that point on all the secrets from generation to generation were developed and remain on the island.  

It is a much quieter island with canals that are a bit larger than in Venice.  I forgot that it was Saturday and the manufacturing plants would be closed.  But...we totally lucked out.  We were given the most amazing tour of a glass store and a personal demonstration of the glass making process.  Jake even got to blow the glass himself!  This was a once in a lifetime thing and will always be one of the highlights of the trip. 

 The sand is placed in this furnace which burned at 2100 degrees.  The master glass blower dips the end of the pole in and grabs a big blob of glass and begins the process.  Jake got to play apprentice.  I love that my son will just jump right in and try new things.

Here is the finished product of our demonstration

I couldn't take any pictures inside the store but believe me when I say this is some of the most beautiful pieces of art I have ever seen.  It is amazing that the only material used is sand.  Here's one more pic of some crazy things that can be done.  I suppose the only limit would be your imagination.

After that we just strolled along the water's edge and got our daily dose of gelato. 

Last observation of the day and my own little profundity.  As I look around at the majority of the people around me they are older.  Most of them are retired and have probably dreamed of coming here their whole lives.  As I walk hand in hand with my daughter and my arm around my son I realize just how blessed I am.  The thought that keeps coming to my mind is that you never know if you'll make to retirement.  You never know what kinds of events will happen in your life that will change the course of it.  You may not make it to retirement.  So enjoy it now.  And whether you ever get to come to Italy or not, enjoy every minute of wherever you are.  





Jet Lag Has Reared It's Ugly Head

It's 4:00 a.m. Italy time and I am wide awake.  Have been for hours. I just came in from my patio that overlooks the Grand Canal.  It's a full moon and the lights reflecting on the water are nice.  Today is going to be a LONGGGGG day.  Especially considering that Gracie only fell asleep an hour ago.  This is not going to be pretty. 

We woke up yesterday at 1:00 in the afternoon so our touring options were somewhat limited.  We decided to find somewhere to eat and go explore Piazza San Marco.  I am a little confused about the situation with the food.  It was a bit different in Rome.  There is "Self-Service, stand at the bar, sit down, cover charge, no cover charge, tip, don't tip, only tip a little, worker man gets the water out of the frig, you get your own water..."  I probably ended up paying more than I should have for lunch if I would've known what was going on.  Either way, it tasted delish.  I got a caprese sandwich on foccacia, Jake ate spaghetti and Gracie had some bomb lasagna.  Here we are chowing down.

I know it looks just like Filipe's but trust me...it's so not. 

I let the kids have the cameras today so they could shoot away at anything that interested them.  You can see Jake's pics and comments at his blogsite http://www.theadventuresofjakes.blogspot.com/ they are hysterical.  His fun was all about people watching and I think I might have a stand up comedian on my hands.  Gracie's will be up and running today. 

We made our way to the square and took an elevator to the top of the campanile di San Marco (bell tower) which has a 360 view of Venice.  It is just a sea of houses.  There are no vehicles allowed on the island so it's walking or boat rides everywhere.  It truly is a maze.  I seem to have a good sense of direction though because we haven't gotten lost yet. 

Here's the campanile.  It's 325 ft. tall!

The mess of houses.  Unfortunately from this view you can't see the waterways but they are all in between with bridges connecting everything.

Here's just a few more pics of the day...

One of Jake's shots

                                   This is the view standing on top of the Rialto Bridge

Standing on top of the Rialto Bridge is when I started to feel like I was at Disneyland.  There are WAYYYYY to many people here.  I much prefer the shadowy empty alleyways than this mess of people.  Here and in St. Mark's Square I don't feel like I am in Europe at all.  The only thing that reminds me that I am is the occasional local European woman who is dressed to kill.  I'll post more about that later. 

We ended the day by going to Hard Rock Cafe.  I know, so American, but with a month full of pasta, pizza, pasta, pizza ahead of us, a little honey-citrus chicken salad sounded good.

That's it for today.  No profundities. 

Ciao from Venezia!!

OH MY GOSH...I am definitely, 100%, for sure, at some point in my life going to move over here for a little while.  I LOVE ITALY...however, I will NOT be using Air Berlin to get here.  Or passing through Germany.  No offense to anyone of German descent but I really find the language atrocious and my airplane food tasted like plastic and bad breath with a spicy kick.  Not a good situation.  Two good things about my flight were the fact that I had an Advil P.M. to make most of it go by sleeping and that me and the kids got six seats to share between the three of us so we could all lay down.  Enough said.

Since I have lost a day (or gained a day I'm not sure...it feels like I have lived two days in one) here's yesterday's recap and some pics.  Final day in New York was spent showing the kids some cool stuff.  The American Girl store, Lego Store, Trump Tower, Tiffany's (where I showed them how to dream big dreams)St. Patrick's Cathedral, Central Park (with a guide who clearly hated his job) and one more stop at Luigi's for pizza.

Kids at Central Park

Gracie in front of The Plaza Hotel home of Eloise

Me and kids on the crappy carriage ride

Now, onto Venice.  The plane ride from Dusseldorf to Venice was really cool as long as I tuned out the German or Dutch or whatever language it was in (again, my apologies to those who get offended easily...and again I apologize if the fact that I think you get offended too easily offends you).  Looking out the window I saw forever green as far as I could see.  About 30 minutes into the flight we started over what I think might be the Swiss Alps or somewhere in Southern Germany.  It was breathtaking.  I just kept imagining the Germanic barbarians moving south into the Roman Empire to invade.  It seems almost impossible when you see the huge peaks and valleys and so much snow.  I also thought of sexy Spartacus because that's where he had to fight at one point.  But we don't need to talk about him. 

There's the view from the airplane window

Gracie didn't sleep all the way over from New York so on this little flight she totally passed out and her head was out in the middle of the aisle.  Some old man was in such a rush to get his bag and get off the plane he ran into her and almost snapped her neck in half trying to get by.  Poor thing didn't even know what happened and Jake and I were laughing so hard we were crying.  I know...mean mom award.  I actually laughed so hard I snorted...REALLY LOUD...and...I was in my workout pants and a big hoodie looking like trash so I was just a sight to see.  I really want to travel looking all pretty but it just isn't comfortable. 

Anyway, we finally arrived and then had to take a water taxi over to the island of Venice.  Here is what I saw coming in.  This is one of the neighboring islands.

In some ways I didn't even feel like I was in Europe.  Being on the water in the boat felt just like being at Bass Lake and I felt right at home.  After getting settled in the hotel, we went out wandering.  I LOVE IT HERE!!  I wasn't sure how it would compare to Rome and it really doesn't.  It's totally different.  But equally just as amazing.  It has it's own feel and is rich in a different way. 

In some ways it feels cozy because you really can't see past the building on the street you are on...the roads curve and twist and wind around.  There are open windows and old wooden shutters against even older plaster walls and beautiful flowers in flower boxes everywhere.  My favorite places are off the main paths and back in the quiet canals.  The sounds of the water lapping against the walls of the homes and the songs being sung by the gondolier and his accordian man are intoxicating.  I told the kids it is my little slice of heaven here on earth. 

Kids on a bridge

One of the homes on the waterfront

The kids have a Venice treasure hunt book and one of the challenges was to get a pic with a gondolier...Extra Points!!

Well that's it for now. I am really sleepy.  Profundity for today?  Jean Luc Picard said this:  "Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey.  It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again.  What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived."  I thought about that as I walked around with my kids today.  I will never have these moments again.  I cherish them all.

Buona Notte!!

It's All About the Food Today

I wonder if I could possibly feel any more bloated?  The day started off with a stroll to Fluffy's to get a toasted New York bagel with some serious amounts of cream cheese.  And this is not your average Philadelphia junk.  This is creamy goodness double thick spread stuff.  Oh man...and the bagel itself is toasted on the outside and the inside is hard to explain but it sticks to the inside of your mouth.  Needless to say, you can't get it back home. 

Next stop was Carlos Bakery.  The kids thought it was really cool.  Jake said he actually liked the feel of Hoboken, NJ better than Manhattan and if he was ever going to move that is where he would go.  Here's what we ate which totally contributed to the bloat factor.

Tiramisu, cannoli, lobster tail, cream roll and something with a strawberry

Jake said the only way he will eat cannoli again is from here.  The cream is amazing.  My favorite was the lobster tail.  It was lots of layers of pastry dough with a whipped cream filling.  Again, not like your average spray in the bottle whipped cream...the real stuff.  Gracie's favorite was the tiramisu.  We got to see Mauro and Joey talking on the phone and running around too.  That was fun for the kids.

Here's the kids enjoying their treats

 

Kiddos in front of the bakery

There's Mauro on the phone.  Kinda tacky taking a pic but what do they expect?

 

You would think that after the bagels and the sweet treats we would be stuffed...but oh no...we then made our way back on the ferry and walked a million blocks to Katz's Deli. After all that walking we were ready for the next heifer session.  Now, I cannot even begin to tell you how insane these sandwiches are.  Pastrami that is so tender it melts in your mouth.  There truly is nothing like it.  I really don't even bother eating pastrami from anywhere else because nothing compares.  Here's a pic...

Katz's is world famous. It's been around since 1888 and the walls are covered with pics of celebrities who have eaten there.  The meat takes 30 days to cure which gives it the smooth melt in your mouth situation.  It's a must when you come to Manhattan.  It's in the Lower East Side on the corner of Houston and Ludlow.  Amazing.  (Lisa you gotta come down here...take the F train and get off at 2nd Ave.  it's a couple blocks up.)

We were stuffed after that so we rolled ourselves on over to the subway and made our way back to the hotel.  Got ready and went to a place for dinner called Ruby Foo's in Times Square.  We met my favorite New York friends for dinner.  Had a great time visiting as always...

Tonight I feel like a little sausage roll so I am going to bed and will dream of cream puffs clouds and cows hopping over fences on their way to the slaughter house for Katz's...mmmm.....mmmm....good.

We Made It!

So, I've been packed for two weeks and I finally zipped up the suitcase last night and headed to LA to begin the first leg of our journey...New York City.  We flew on Jet Blue and I thought for sure we would get stuck on the runway for 6 hours before they took off but it was actually a nice flight.  Lots of leg room and other than the somewhat bossy Jet Blue employees it was an uneventful trip over. 

I took the kids to one of my favorite pizza places for dinner.  Luigi's on 8th Ave. between 55th and 56th St.  If you ever get over this way check it out.  It's got really yummy thin sliced pizza.  Huge slices for $2.50.  It's a little hole in the wall nearby a police precinct so there are cops running in and out the whole time.  You just can't find this stuff back home.  The pizza or the vibe. 

I took the kids to the M&M store and Toys 'R Us.  Jake said everything about New York is over the top.  Gracie said, "It's lighty and too many people smoke."  So there ya go. 

Tomorrow we are off to Carlo's Bakery!  Pictures will be up tomorrow! 

You're Doing What??

Yes, it's seems that pigs now fly.  After much computer hatred and almost Office Space moments with my computer I have figured out how to get my blog to a place where I can actually post something.  This might be the only one you'll ever see because I might forget how to get back to this page...however, for now, here I am! 

So, why a blog?  The blog began as an idea for family and a few friends to keep up with me and my kids on my wild-hair six week Italy trip.  In theory and if the stars align right this should be a good thing...if only I can figure out how to upload photos.  But I quickly realized that the trip would end and so, therefore, would my blog.  I mean unless I just decided to stay in Italy...but then my parents would probably kill me for taking their grandkids away and then the blog would end anyway. Really, I have no idea where this blog will take me.  For now, it will be about my trip.  Knowing me, it will turn into something that swings back and forth between a comedy show and Aristotelian profundities.

Which leads me to the title of the blog.  Profundities along the way.  After a life changing year and a half I have come to realize that at the end of the day it's the smallest things, the most simple things, that are the most profound.  For me, these simple truths usually came in the form of some stupid little thing said around the firepit with my inner circle (you know who you are and I'll love you forever!!) Those small things so completely changed my view on everything in my life that I will never be the same.  In future posts I will share some of those life changing firepit moments and maybe they will help you in some way on your journey.

Thanks for reading.  Hope you enjoy...