Venezia Day 4/Home

So this morning I got up bright and early and took the water bus to the airport. With all the stops it took about an hour and a half. But a nice morning commute and it was nice to see the city go to work. The Venice airport is lovely. Managed to avoid buying a different Ferragamo purse and a couple of Valentino purses. Perhaps someday when I don't have a mortgage and rent to pay. After sitting on the plane for close to an hour waiting on paperwork, we finally took off. Right around a 9-hour flight. This was on a 767 which doesn't have the fancy video on demand that I've had for my other international flights. But I did enjoy most of the video selections. Home safely. Laundry in the washer. Need to pack for Florida. Vacation #2 starts tomorrow.

Venezia Day 3

Last full day in Venice and Italy. Spent the day wondering around the city (and Murano) hopping off and on the water vapperettos and shopping. I don't know what you are supposed to pay to see in Venice as I did none of that. I was going to have my last meal at harry's dolci bar (aka Ciprihana) but they were closed. Failed to buy something for my nephews I guess they will have to settle for something from Disney.

Venezia Day 2

Started the day off with breakfast. By the time I was done it was raining. Nevertheless I ventured out. I headed to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Luckily I got there early before there was to much of a line. Lot's of people inside though. Nice collection and location on theGrand Canal. After I wondered around fir a bit and them headed back to the hotel for a snack and to retrieve my iPod which thankfully was still in my room. It quit raining until I headed back over to San Marco Plaza. There were tons of people out with their umbrellas and I got pretty annoyed very quickly. Headed back to the hotel and relaxed a bit before indulging in the spa for a bit. It didn't rain while I was in the spa but started again after. More snacks. Then I headed back over across the Giudecca Canal and bought a ticket for a classical concert that was at 9. Having an hour to kill, I just wondered around enjoying the sites, the lack of people and the gentle rain. As I headed to the church where the concert was the sun came out. It was so pretty. The concert was fabulous (classical music- Vivaldi's Four Seasons and other selections. Once over back to the hotel for a glass of proseco. Another lovely day but I am going to pay for the lack of doing things today tomorrow.

Firenze Day 4/Venezia Day 1

So I started off with a lazy morning before checking out of the hotel. Got to the train station around 11. Changed my 4:30 ticket to 2:30 and checked my bag. No fee to change the ticket. Awesome. Then walked over to the market and bought a purple bag and some goodies for others. Had a fabulous roast beef sandwich and a glass of wine. Exchanged the purple bag for another purple bag that didn't clank clank clank. Then walked over to A place called Grom and had lemon gelato. It was fab. Then tried to get on an even earlier train but couldn't so had more gelato and bought more goodies. Train left at 2:30. The countryside between Florence and Bologna looked amazing from the little that I saw but we were in tunnels the majority of the time. Rest of train ride was nice but I think first class in Spain was better. I only had a small snack and a teeny glass of wine. In Spain we had at least two free glasses and a lovely lunch. Arrived on Venice right on time at 4:30. Managed to find the right wAter vaperetto and got to the hotel. Did not get an upgrade for my room but it is lovely nonetheless just not much of a view. Had snacks in the executive lounge and then took the hotel's shute boat across the canal to the main island of Venice. Just started to wander around. Fell in love with the city instantly. Nice weather just a bit breezy. After a bit took the hotel shuttle back grabbed my sweater and went to a lovely restaurant. Dinner was pasta with mussels, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes. Dessert was a chocolate salami which was chocolate with vanilla cookies mixed in and sliced to look like salami. A lovely day indeed.

Firenze (Day 2)

Ah, so I see my blog from yesterday didn't post. In short, I visited the Uffizi Gallery (lovely, but I don't quite get Renaissance Art), the Pitti Palace (more Renaissance art, but it also has a floor of modern art which I really liked), and the Accademia (awesome, loved the David, as well as the Rape of the Sabine Women). Then walked around, had a cup of chocolate, and saw more scuplture (I've decided I really like sculpture). Then window shopped on the equivalent of Chicago's Magnificent Mile (and found a Ferragamo purse and coat that I covet). Oh, and I had lunch at a great little place near the Pitti Palace that was recommended in Rick Steve's guidebook. Definitely more of a local place than a tourist place, which was great. Had brushetta, spaghetti with pesto, and a 0.25 liter of wine. LOVELY.

Firenze (Day something)

So today I visited the Bargello which is known for it's collection of scuplture. It was very nice indeed. Then, I was starving so I went to this little hole in the wall place (which was literally a hole in the wall) and had a proscuitto, goat cheese, and rocket sandwich and a glass of white wine all for the bargain price of €5. I then went to a church, which name escapes me at the moment, but it is located near the Arno River and Michaelango, Gailleo, and others are buried there. I then walked up the side of hill to Piazza Michaelango for a lovely view of the city. I then returned to Pitti Palace to see the gardens. I walked up a great number of steps today and must say that I am tired of climbing. So after walking through the gardens, I headed back in the general direction of the train station. I stopped for gelato (blood orange, lovely) and then did some window shopping and church visiting. Made it an early day. Tomorrow, more shopping in Florence, I think, then off to Venice.

Firenze (Day 1)

So I dragged my butt out of bed this morning and took a high speed train to Florence. I love train travel. Arrived in Florence and went ahead and booked a first class ticket to Venice on Saturday (it,s my birthday so I'm treating myself). Took a cab to the hotel and got checked into a lovely hotel room. Super modern, similar to the hotel at the Madrid airport. Spoke with the hotel clerk who was nice enough to book my tickets to the Uffiza Gallery and the Academia Musuem which my guidebook suggested that I make reservations for (those tours are tomorrow). Took the hotel shuttle to the train station and then walked to Mercato Centrale which is a market very very similar to Reading Terminal Market. Had a super cheap lunch (and wine, of course). Then walked around the outside market (trying to decide between a lime green bag, an orange one, or a light blue one - thoughts?) and then started walking in the general direction of the Duomo. Which I completely stopped dead cold when I saw. Amazing. I then took a bit of walk to get cash, and then purchased a ticket for a tour of the Duomo which not only took you inside but on the terraces as well, and then you were able to avoid the line to climb up to the top of the dome. Lovely views and it was here that I realized this is why people want to buy villas in Tuscany. And this is the first place that I've really, truly fallen for. Rome was great. But I could live in Tuscany. Not sure that it beats out my olive tree farm is southern Spain, but it's only Day 1. Then toured a cathedral, which was OK. And then went back to catch the hotel shuttle. Which I missed because it evidently parked somehwere else due to the President of Italy arriving at the train station. So I spent an hour people watching and caught the next shuttle. Am now partaking of the club room and all the free goodies it has to offer.

If I can figure out how to share some pictures with you, I will. I have been posting on Facebook, but if you're not on Facebook, then you can't see them. More of Florence tomorrow. Trying to decide if I want to go to Pisa on Friday or somewhere else outside of Florence.