Oh it has been a long day. We were up at 4:00 this morning to catch a flight from Venice to Rome. Our flight from Venice was late leaving and we barely made our flight leaving Rome. Thanks to Rick for running ahead and then stalling by standing in the jet way until the parents and I could catch up. We made the grueling 12:30 hour flight from Rome to Los Angeles. I could not sleep the whole time, so I caught up on my movie selection by watching; Jumper, Vantage Point, Over Her Dead Body, Pay It Forward and then some obscure Italian Movie with subtitles. I had to resort to the Italian movie, because my other options were Horton Hears A Who, Monsters Inc. and 27 Dresses. Which I had already seen. Airplanes is the only time I will sit down and watch a movie. I am too easily distracted at the movie theater or at home to watch a movie. So my only recourse to maintain current on the cinema scene is to fly where I am forced to sit there. Flying is always tougher on the flight home.
We finally made it back to Salt Lake City. It always feels good to come home after a trip. I love traveling. It really is one of the great things I love to do, but I am always happy to come home to a familiar and comfortable place. I was very excited to see my girls. T-ko and Maddie were happy to see us and followed closely behind everywhere I went tonight. It always feels good to be wanted or needed, even if it does come from my dogs.
Today is our last day here in Italy, tomorrow we fly home early so that meant today was a rush to get in our last sight seeing and souvenir shopping. This morning we decided to take a water taxi over to the island of Murano and visit the some of the glass factories. Once again we had the chance to see a view of the city from the canals. I am really amazed by this city and how people live off of the canals. It makes for a very frustrating and busy area, but intriguing as well. The canals are set up just like highways with street lights and lane markers as we crossed over to the island of Murano.
The Murano Glass Factory was really impressive. We got to go back to the furnace and watch the artisans create glass sculptures, bowls, vases and other pieces of art. They explained the whole process to us, which I found to be very interesting. I of course loved that they were creating pieces made out of blue glass. They would imbed 24 karat gold flake into the glass and as they formed their desired shape it would stretch out in the glass and make for a very interesting design. They also use numerous little pieces of decorative glass to add a special flair to their work. The furnace room was very hot, not a place where I could work for 8 hours a day.
After getting back to the hotel we had to take the mothers on their Gondola ride. After all, we couldn’t come to Venice and not take a ride on a Gondola. The Gondola picked us right up at the hotel. We took an hour long ride through the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge and then through the back neighborhoods. It made for a very interesting ride. I was impressed at how well the Gondolier can maneuver the gondola through the tight bridges and around the blind corners all while dodging other gondolas filled with picture taking tourists. A few gondolas had accordion players and would sing as well. It made for a a great ride. I loved the buildings and took numerous pictures of interesting windows and doors.
After our Gondola ride we had a quick dinner. It was our last night in Italy and of course my mother was not done shopping. She had been keeping her eye out for the best deal on the souvenirs that she wanted to bring back. This meant that we hurriedly walked from one little trinket shop to another until she finally went back to one of the original shops and bought her last items on her list. My mother is never one to not get a bargain, even if it means driving around the city for 3 hours to save 20 cents on a can of green beans. As we strolled back to the hotel, we stopped in San Marcos square and I had one last serving of gelato and we listened to one of the jazz bands play a rendition of Etta Jame’s “At Last”. It was an incredible song and wonderful end to an incredible trip. It is off to sleep, we head to the airport at 5:00 in the morning.
Today we took a quick tour of Venice. We visited San Marco Square, this is the heart of Venice and swarms with tourists. It is dominated by the San Marco Basilica and the Gothic Palazzo Ducale. The San Marco Basilica is very unique. There are tile mosaics everywhere. The floor, the walls, the ceiling are all done in numerous different patterns. The geometric patterns on the floor are done with amazing accuracy. The Gold tile ceiling is incredible as well. We also saw the Grand Canal, which is basically the main highway. It was very interesting to see all of the activity on the main canal. Like I mentioned yesterday, everything is done by boat. The ambulance, police, fire department, trash collection and delivery is all done by boats. This morning the boats were lining the Grand Canal with their deliveries of produce, meat, fish and mercantile. I did a little shopping and bought me some blue Murano Glass cuff links.
We continued our tour and walked through the maze like city of passages, canals and bridges to find the Rialto Bridge. It is a huge bridge that spans the Grand Canal. The Rialto Bridge is lined with shops, in fact there are more shops in this city the bridges. I don’t know how they all survive, but I see people shopping everywhere. After our tour of the city it was back to the Hotel where the Moms and Rick had Spa appointments. I opted out of the luxury treatment so I could finally post all of the blogs I had written for the past 3 days now that I had internet connection.
All said today has been a pretty laid back and lazy day. Rick and Chuck went to a local Rotary meeting for dinner tonight. Judy, my mother and I wandered the canals to find an air conditioned little restaurant that had pizza. Judy found one through a small back alley and it ended up being great. Then again, when was pizza ever not good. The cold beer from tap was very good as well. On the way back to the hotel, I stopped in the San Marco Square where it was filled with tourists listening to bands playing. It really was a good way to finish off a lazy day in Venice.
Today we head off to Venice. I still do not have Internet connection so I am just typing my daily blogs and hoping that when I get to Venice that I will be able to find a wireless connection. I am writing this as we ride the high speed train up to Venice from Florence. I had another first on a train today, I ate in the lunch car of the train. Lunch was horrible but it was worth the experience. We actually have seats on this trip as well. Rick was wonderful and went to the train station early this morning, while the parents and I were shopping, to check on the status of the train. The train was actually full and we did not have seats, so Rick the wonderful Travel Agent booked us on an earlier train so we would have seats.
We have been traveling for a week now and I miss T-ko and Maddie. I did see a French Bulldog walking down a side street in Florence yesterday and I was tempted to run down there and play with her, but that was when my ass was sweating and chaffing, I didn’t think running would help the matter much. I really wish I could just travel with my dogs. I did buy Maddie a new Prada Collar. I found this collar online even before I had picked Maddie up from the breeder but I had not been able to find the collar in any of the stores in the US. It took a trip to Rome to find it. I think I am going to buy Virginia, the incredible lady that watches our dogs for us when we are away, a webcam and high speed Internet connection so I can always see them when I am away. It really is like leaving your children for what seems like way to long. Sometimes I wish my girls were ugly and mean, then I wouldn’t have to worry about leaving them.
I just took a quick video of our train ride so you can see everyone…..check it out for yourself.
Today is Chuck’s Birthday….we haven’t done anything big to celebrate yet, but I am hoping once we actually get in to Venice that I will be able to arrange something special during dinner. I am glad that he decided to have his Birthday so we could come on this trip to celebrate. Happy Birthday Chuckie!!
Arriving in Venice was incredible. I knew that the city was an island and that it had canals for transportation. I have been to the Venetian in Vegas so I had a vague idea. I was very awestruck though at the actual Venice. It really is beautiful. It seems that our trip just gets better each time we move to a new city. We took a water taxi to our hotel and it was very neat to see the doors of hotels and houses right at the waters edge. There really are no roads in this city, you either walk or travel by boat. We walked around the city and there are numerous shops selling Murano glass. What beautiful pieces of art. I love the blue glass and hope to find my own souvenir.
We thought that since we were close enough for a day trip to the town of Pisa that we would take a train and go over and see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Our train trip wasn’t as eventful as the trip from Rome to Florence, it was pretty mundane. The train took a quick hour trip through the hills of Tuscany and we arrived in Pisa. I am not that impressed with Pisa. I am glad that we only were there for a few hours. I found the city to be very filthy. Graffiti marked almost every building, the ground was extremely dirty and the smell…..sewer smell everywhere we went. I am really glad that we had not arranged to stay a few days in Pisa.
We walked through the town to where the Leaning Tower of Pisa was located. It really was a neat looking building. Due to the fact that it continues to lean gradually every year, it was being worked on so it was wrapped in fabric and scaffolding. We were still able to manage a few great pictures. We were like all the tourist and tried to take pictures of us holding up the Tower of Pisa…..but it was a lost cause for Rick and I. We just couldn’t match things up.
The weather here is incredibly hot and incase you have forgotten, I hate sweating!!!!. By the time we got back to the train station to head back to Florence, my ass was completely drenched and chaffing. It really was not a pretty site, I honestly look like I have pissed my pants. On the train ride back to Florence, I used my iPhone to research excessive sweating. I learned that Botox treatments help with excessive under arm sweating. I wonder if I can have my ass injected with Botox. I didn’t find any related information on excessive ass crack sweating and treatment options. Maybe I can start a trial group. Dr. Stacey Bank I think we have a new mission in life, you could be famous for finding a cure for ass sweating. I could probably do ok with the wet looking ass. The issue that irritates me is that everything becomes raw….maybe I just have a fat upper thighs that like to rub together…..I am sure Michelangelo chiseled away that fat deposit on the David Statue. I will keep you updated on my ass crack sweating dilemma.
After arriving back in Florence we went back to the hotel for our daily afternoon nap. I couldn’t nap so I got up and walked about the city. I visited a few churches and had a chance to just sit back and reflect. I enjoyed sitting on the pew and looking up at the ornate ceiling and wondering about the history of these buildings I had been seeing. The magnitude of these works of art and how well preserved they are really made me take notice. It was good to have a spiritual moment, all by myself, in a strange city. I often don’t take time to reflect on the spiritual side of life these days. Times have changed for me, but I still believe in God and Heaven and the wonderful things that await us all one day. It is sad that it takes an afternoon in Florence, admiring gorgeous frescos to remind you of LIFE.
I shopped around the town, visiting the local flea markets and a few ceramic shops. I really do love my ceramic pieces that I have purchased on my other trips to Italy and I wanted to find something to remind me of the Tuscany region. I ended up buying a ceramic Christmas ornament, nothing that I will use each day, but it will be fun to relive the memories each year as it is placed on my Christmas Tree. We ate dinner at a great little restaurant that is visited by many local and international celebrities. The food was great, the staff were incredible. The restaurant used to house the Carousel from the Plaza during the winter during the 1700’s, so it has a very unique history and architecture.
