We left Ferrara yesterday afternoon and made the trek across Northern Italy to Milano. Apparently the biggest convention of the year, the Furniture show, has attracted leather couch lovers from around the world and we had a devil of a time finding last minute hotel accomodations. Nevertheless, we did find a place to stay near the ariport at double the normal rate....as Mike says...scalping exists the world over. It is time to get home.
Our flight to NY JFK leaves this morning at 10:30. Then we change planes, go through customs, etc. and fly to Chicago or another plane change to Albuequergue. We will be in around 9:00 PM, which I think means about 20 hours of travel. We left our car there, which we will retrieve before spending the night there and then making the five hour drive back to Mancos, Colorado.
I have a few more photos to post, plus a request to post some photos of the place in Colorado, so don't stop checking in yet. Give me a few more days before we call this trip over.
Love, Deanne
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
OMG- Have we got a restaurant for you!
Yesterday, Tuesday, Mike and I took it easy (as if any other day is hard, stressful work) almost all day while Caitie was in class nonstop from 9:00 until 5:00 (we're glad she is spending our money wisely). Mike read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as if his life depended on it. In fact, while I was out for my walk, I found a bookstore with a tiny rack of English language books and bought him the sequel so that he doesn't suffer withdrawl when he finishes it. I think he will believe my book recommendations in the future. For those of you who have missed it... you are really missing out.
A little after 5:00 Caitie arrived and we visited for an hour until Pietro came to pick us up. Even after the wonderful meal he had served us the previous night, he and his mother had worked on another surprise meal. One of his mother's patients is from a restaurant family. Dad is the chef, complete with white apron and tall hat, and Mom runs the dining room. Patrizia, Pietro's mother had called them and arranged a meal for us; all as another treat from them. We are forever in their debt for the collective two dinners. This was spectacular.
The evening started with Caitie and I piling into the back seat of Pietro's family car for ride into the countryside. Mike rode shotgun while Pietro chauffered us to the seaside. Ferrara is inland about 70 miles or so from the coast, near Venice. Within minutes of leaving our convent within central Ferrara we were buzzing down country highways on our way to the seaside. We stopped for fuel at one point and Pietro filled the car with GPL (I think I got those initials in the right order), which I think is liquid propane gas. This car is rated "green" because it utilizes this low emission fuel, which allows it to be driven on days in which Ferrara is closed to traffic to control emissions. Pietro says that this happens in the winter usually on weekends when the air quality is poor and they want to clean it up. Police locate on the roads leading into the city and stop all cars. Only public transportation, bikes and cars are allowed into the city on those days. He told us that this city is known for its bike travel (which is obvious to any but the densest observer) because the ancient streets are so narrow that driving, and particularly, parking, are too difficult to make car commuting popular.
Our first stop was the tiny town of Comacchio ( http://www.comacchio.it/) which calls itself "little Venice". This little fishing village has canals and bridges that have earned it that designation. Apparently the people there are primarily fisherman who work with the huge migration of eels that breed there, swim through the canals back out to sea, across the ocean to winter in the Gulf of Mexico, then return to breed in Comacchio. In addition to eels, mussels are farmed here and the fisherman go out to sea to bring in all kinds of fish. We parked and walked across a bridge over the canals- enjoying the fresh sea air with whifts of fish, and the beautiful evening setting sun reflecting on the canals. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera, so the photos I have just posted to the blog for Comacchio are borrowed from Luigi, some generous soul who posted his photos in a public site on Picasa. Thanks for sharing Luigi!
We loaded back into the car for our second stop- a little beach resort nearby (sorry- no name). We were clearly visiting a few weeks before the beginning of the season- most of the establishments along the beach were closed. The lido, or beach, had side-by-side beach clubs, gated areas with dressing rooms, eating areas, playgrounds for children, ping pong tables, and sometimes elaborate carnival type activities. Apparently when you visit this area for the summer, you sign on to one of the clubs and sit on the beach in front of them, the area whose access is controlled by the club, charging your drinks, beach access, toy rental, food, etc. which you pay for at the end of your trip. We found an open gate at one of the clubs and parked. Apparently it was not yet open for the season, but someone was there painting and allowed us to walk around and walk down their path to the beach. It was deserted, windy and cold, but Pietro's descriptions of the summer made it come alive with wall-to-wall towels, people and noise. As Mike said when we turned around to leave, "This place can hold a lot of Speedos (in reference to the European men's affection for lycra swimsuits".
We drove through the resort village, which Pietro said his parent's had visited each summer when he and his sister were young, apparently as a right of passage. When the children outgrew the visits his parents admitted to hating the place. It reminded Mike of Jones beach or Coney Island. Worn and tacky but in a great location. We stopped and had a glass of Prosecco (the wonderful Italian sparkling wine Caitie turned us on to) at a deserted, but open Irish pub.
Our final stop was the Osteria dei Colosi (restaurant of the gluttons) in Mesola. Hidden near the beautiful castle in Mesola, the restaurant is amazing- cozy and inviting.(http://www.osteriadeigolosi.it/ ) We were greeted warmly and shown to a private dining room upstairs above the main dining area. Wth slanted ceilings covered in knotty pine, the dining room felt like we were sitting in a special attic dining room. After bringing us a couple of bottles of drinking water, the chef arrived to discuss the menu with Pietro. They had a comprehensive written menu but it was not consulted at all as they decided on our meal. Caitie followed along and provided the voice of reason in portion control, and even with her suggestions we had an enormous meal. The antipasto, or appetizer course, was composed of a wooden platter with small dishes of olives, pickled onions and pickled pumpkin. There was tender and delicious sliced meats. We had a basket of freshly baked bread and another of deep fried goodies that I have never had before, like a risotto-like soft rice ball, but hope to try again some day. All of this was accompanied by a wonderful wine recommended by the chef.
Our next course was pasta - a dish of ravioli and another of tortolini. The ravioli was filled with a tender meat and served lightly in a cream sauce with crushed pistachios on top.. The tortolini had a radicchio filling and was served in a very light butter sauce with shavings of proschuito. Both were wonderful.
As the empty pasta bowls and scraped clean plates were cleared away, two bowls of roasted potatoes and rosemary and two bowls of salad were delivered; the former for the guys and the later for the girls. Anyone who has ever eaten with Caitie knows that she is passionate about her salads. Once the vegetables hit the table, the chef delivered the most amazing beef. It was sliced entrecote with sea salt and rosemary. It was possibly the best beef any of us had ever eaten. The chef told us that after years of working in restaurants throughout Europe and sourcing his beef from places like Argentina and Tuscany, he had finally settled on the best source he had found so far.... Nebraska!
A little after 5:00 Caitie arrived and we visited for an hour until Pietro came to pick us up. Even after the wonderful meal he had served us the previous night, he and his mother had worked on another surprise meal. One of his mother's patients is from a restaurant family. Dad is the chef, complete with white apron and tall hat, and Mom runs the dining room. Patrizia, Pietro's mother had called them and arranged a meal for us; all as another treat from them. We are forever in their debt for the collective two dinners. This was spectacular.
The evening started with Caitie and I piling into the back seat of Pietro's family car for ride into the countryside. Mike rode shotgun while Pietro chauffered us to the seaside. Ferrara is inland about 70 miles or so from the coast, near Venice. Within minutes of leaving our convent within central Ferrara we were buzzing down country highways on our way to the seaside. We stopped for fuel at one point and Pietro filled the car with GPL (I think I got those initials in the right order), which I think is liquid propane gas. This car is rated "green" because it utilizes this low emission fuel, which allows it to be driven on days in which Ferrara is closed to traffic to control emissions. Pietro says that this happens in the winter usually on weekends when the air quality is poor and they want to clean it up. Police locate on the roads leading into the city and stop all cars. Only public transportation, bikes and cars are allowed into the city on those days. He told us that this city is known for its bike travel (which is obvious to any but the densest observer) because the ancient streets are so narrow that driving, and particularly, parking, are too difficult to make car commuting popular.
Our first stop was the tiny town of Comacchio ( http://www.comacchio.it/) which calls itself "little Venice". This little fishing village has canals and bridges that have earned it that designation. Apparently the people there are primarily fisherman who work with the huge migration of eels that breed there, swim through the canals back out to sea, across the ocean to winter in the Gulf of Mexico, then return to breed in Comacchio. In addition to eels, mussels are farmed here and the fisherman go out to sea to bring in all kinds of fish. We parked and walked across a bridge over the canals- enjoying the fresh sea air with whifts of fish, and the beautiful evening setting sun reflecting on the canals. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera, so the photos I have just posted to the blog for Comacchio are borrowed from Luigi, some generous soul who posted his photos in a public site on Picasa. Thanks for sharing Luigi!
We loaded back into the car for our second stop- a little beach resort nearby (sorry- no name). We were clearly visiting a few weeks before the beginning of the season- most of the establishments along the beach were closed. The lido, or beach, had side-by-side beach clubs, gated areas with dressing rooms, eating areas, playgrounds for children, ping pong tables, and sometimes elaborate carnival type activities. Apparently when you visit this area for the summer, you sign on to one of the clubs and sit on the beach in front of them, the area whose access is controlled by the club, charging your drinks, beach access, toy rental, food, etc. which you pay for at the end of your trip. We found an open gate at one of the clubs and parked. Apparently it was not yet open for the season, but someone was there painting and allowed us to walk around and walk down their path to the beach. It was deserted, windy and cold, but Pietro's descriptions of the summer made it come alive with wall-to-wall towels, people and noise. As Mike said when we turned around to leave, "This place can hold a lot of Speedos (in reference to the European men's affection for lycra swimsuits".
We drove through the resort village, which Pietro said his parent's had visited each summer when he and his sister were young, apparently as a right of passage. When the children outgrew the visits his parents admitted to hating the place. It reminded Mike of Jones beach or Coney Island. Worn and tacky but in a great location. We stopped and had a glass of Prosecco (the wonderful Italian sparkling wine Caitie turned us on to) at a deserted, but open Irish pub.
Our final stop was the Osteria dei Colosi (restaurant of the gluttons) in Mesola. Hidden near the beautiful castle in Mesola, the restaurant is amazing- cozy and inviting.(http://www.osteriadeigolosi.it/ ) We were greeted warmly and shown to a private dining room upstairs above the main dining area. Wth slanted ceilings covered in knotty pine, the dining room felt like we were sitting in a special attic dining room. After bringing us a couple of bottles of drinking water, the chef arrived to discuss the menu with Pietro. They had a comprehensive written menu but it was not consulted at all as they decided on our meal. Caitie followed along and provided the voice of reason in portion control, and even with her suggestions we had an enormous meal. The antipasto, or appetizer course, was composed of a wooden platter with small dishes of olives, pickled onions and pickled pumpkin. There was tender and delicious sliced meats. We had a basket of freshly baked bread and another of deep fried goodies that I have never had before, like a risotto-like soft rice ball, but hope to try again some day. All of this was accompanied by a wonderful wine recommended by the chef.
Our next course was pasta - a dish of ravioli and another of tortolini. The ravioli was filled with a tender meat and served lightly in a cream sauce with crushed pistachios on top.. The tortolini had a radicchio filling and was served in a very light butter sauce with shavings of proschuito. Both were wonderful.
As the empty pasta bowls and scraped clean plates were cleared away, two bowls of roasted potatoes and rosemary and two bowls of salad were delivered; the former for the guys and the later for the girls. Anyone who has ever eaten with Caitie knows that she is passionate about her salads. Once the vegetables hit the table, the chef delivered the most amazing beef. It was sliced entrecote with sea salt and rosemary. It was possibly the best beef any of us had ever eaten. The chef told us that after years of working in restaurants throughout Europe and sourcing his beef from places like Argentina and Tuscany, he had finally settled on the best source he had found so far.... Nebraska!
The chef showed up again after the dinner dishes were cleared away to ask about dessert. He conferred with Pietro about affection for gelato (Mike and Caitie) and chocolate (me) and left only to return with profiteroles (Mike and Pietro), frozen rice custard (Caitie) and decadent choclate torte (me). Additionally, we were served two glass bottles from the freezer, with ice on the sides. One with homemade lemoncello (if you haven't ever had this you have to try it... and freeze the bottle, too) and the other with a homemade black licorice liquor. At this point, a clear devide formed...those that love licorice (Pietro and me) and those that don't (Mike and Caitie). We each had a couple of shots of these sweet and wonderful treats and washed them down with our tiny cups of decaffinated espresso.
After this major impressive meal, we were shown to our car without being able to pay. Pietro's mother had arranged to pay for the meal, but it is not clear whether the proprieters would permit her to pay, as they have treated her family to meals in the past. It was an amazing meal and and amzing gift. I suggest that anyone visiting Venice rent a car for an evening and drive out to try this place. Tell them Patrizia sent you. It worked for us!
So now we have sworn off food for awhile. At least for the next half hour until 12:45 when we meet Caitie and four school friends for pizza.
Love, Deanne
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Dinner with the Tebaldi Family
Yesterday: Day of the big Dinner with Pietro's family
Pietro spent the day preparing for dinner, as he is currently on Spring break. Caitie spent part of the day with us, two hours in class and the remaining part of the day at her apartment preparing for her presentation and washing our clothes which she delivered back to us at the end of the day in two wet balls. There are no dryers...you hang your clothes out to dry. Ours are currently stacked up on both the radiator and the bathroom towel rack.
At 7:35 we met Caitie at her apartment, all of us in our better than usual, but still not formal clothes. We drove over to Peitro's home and climbed the steps up to their apartment. Pietro's father met us at the door and escorted us into the living room to sit on the comfortable white leather couches. Along one wall of the home was a library of books and another wall was decorate with photos of the family and fine art photos. The dining table was all set up for dinner for six. We chatted for a few minutes then moved to the dining table.
Pietro's father, Gianni (pronounced the same as our Jonny) speaks English well and kept the conversation going all evening. A civil engineer that works on the public water system, making sure that this city below sea level doesn't flood, he is an engaging host. He has a clever sense of humor and a curiosity about us and life in America. He asked questions about politics and meditation, both of which gave Mike ample leeway to discuss things. He clearly enjoys Caitie, feeling comfortable enough to kid her about her "monster" feet and her passion for salad. Pietro's mother speaks only a few words of English, although she seemed to understand much of the conversation. When she didn't, Caitie or Pietro would explain things in Italian. She is a pediatrician and seemed to enjoy the conversation about the health benefits of meditation.
We brought them each a gift from Colorado; a Hopi Indian necklace and bolo tie. I have no idea if they will ever wear them, but we wanted them to have a piece of the Wild West.
Pietro served a wonderful meal. We started with bruschetta- Italian toast with a tomato salsa on top. Then onto a local specialty that is best described as a family sized pot pie with a sweet tasting pasta and sauce inside. I loved it. Then, the entree was beef with mushroom sauce, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes and fennel. All of it was wonderful. For dessert we had a local cake and strawberries. He sure knows how to put together a meal!
We stayed until about 10:30 then took mercy on these poor folks that had to clean up after us and go to work the next day. All in all, it was a great time and we have new Italian friends!
Deanne
Pietro spent the day preparing for dinner, as he is currently on Spring break. Caitie spent part of the day with us, two hours in class and the remaining part of the day at her apartment preparing for her presentation and washing our clothes which she delivered back to us at the end of the day in two wet balls. There are no dryers...you hang your clothes out to dry. Ours are currently stacked up on both the radiator and the bathroom towel rack.
At 7:35 we met Caitie at her apartment, all of us in our better than usual, but still not formal clothes. We drove over to Peitro's home and climbed the steps up to their apartment. Pietro's father met us at the door and escorted us into the living room to sit on the comfortable white leather couches. Along one wall of the home was a library of books and another wall was decorate with photos of the family and fine art photos. The dining table was all set up for dinner for six. We chatted for a few minutes then moved to the dining table.
Pietro's father, Gianni (pronounced the same as our Jonny) speaks English well and kept the conversation going all evening. A civil engineer that works on the public water system, making sure that this city below sea level doesn't flood, he is an engaging host. He has a clever sense of humor and a curiosity about us and life in America. He asked questions about politics and meditation, both of which gave Mike ample leeway to discuss things. He clearly enjoys Caitie, feeling comfortable enough to kid her about her "monster" feet and her passion for salad. Pietro's mother speaks only a few words of English, although she seemed to understand much of the conversation. When she didn't, Caitie or Pietro would explain things in Italian. She is a pediatrician and seemed to enjoy the conversation about the health benefits of meditation.
We brought them each a gift from Colorado; a Hopi Indian necklace and bolo tie. I have no idea if they will ever wear them, but we wanted them to have a piece of the Wild West.
Pietro served a wonderful meal. We started with bruschetta- Italian toast with a tomato salsa on top. Then onto a local specialty that is best described as a family sized pot pie with a sweet tasting pasta and sauce inside. I loved it. Then, the entree was beef with mushroom sauce, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes and fennel. All of it was wonderful. For dessert we had a local cake and strawberries. He sure knows how to put together a meal!
We stayed until about 10:30 then took mercy on these poor folks that had to clean up after us and go to work the next day. All in all, it was a great time and we have new Italian friends!
Deanne
Monday, April 12, 2010
Ferrara- Continued
The three of us, Mike, Caitie and I, are sitting in the breakfast room of our convent at 4:00 PM. Mike is reading, having finally started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I recommended to him, purchased in Seattle, and carried all the way here until it was the final book in his suitcase. Now he is as enthralled with the writing and the story as I was when I read it. Caitie is taking advantage of our free internet to work on some research for a verbal presentation she has to make tomorrow. The assingment is to speak in Italian for fifteen minutes about Sicily, where here class visited recently, or Ferrara where they attend classes. She has chosen to speak about Pietro's family, her offical host family for school, and their ties to this town and region. She has some interesting anecdotes, such as telling the story of Pietro's grandfather who was a prisoner of war during WWII in an American camp. He was made to work on a farm and was paid in American dollars for doing so, which he saved and used to purchase his home here after the war. When he met Caitie, he asked her in English if she was American, which is the only remaining English language he could muster. He apparently has fond memories of his American captors.
In the restaurant adjacent to where we sit, a huge family is celebrating the university graduation of one of their family membors. It is a loud and rowdy party which everyone seems to be enjoying. There is one particular bawdy song that is traditionially sung to the graduate, and they are singing it now. Of course, only Caitie understands it.
We walked around the old town with Caitie today and ate in a small sandwich shop at the base of the castle. It is beautifully maintained as is the wall that surrounds the city. Unlike many of the other walled cities we have visited such as Lucca, this town seems to have many fewer tourists. Unlike such famous cities as Venice which have been more or less turned completely over to tourists and not local housing, the old town homes seem to be lived in by locals here. Only a few places such as our convent are accomodations for tourists. For those of you planning a visit to Italy, this is a wonderful place to see.
Tonight we have been invited to dinner with Pietro's family. I think all of us are looking forward to meeting each other, although perhaps a little worried about how the communication will go. Pietro and Caitie will be under the gun to keep the communication moving along.
Tomorrow Caitie has classes all day so Mike and I will be on our own to tour the city and to write and tell you how the dinner turns out. Stay tuned.
I posted the Lugano photos earlier, and I will post some photos of Ferrara soon.
Ciao,
Deanne
In the restaurant adjacent to where we sit, a huge family is celebrating the university graduation of one of their family membors. It is a loud and rowdy party which everyone seems to be enjoying. There is one particular bawdy song that is traditionially sung to the graduate, and they are singing it now. Of course, only Caitie understands it.
We walked around the old town with Caitie today and ate in a small sandwich shop at the base of the castle. It is beautifully maintained as is the wall that surrounds the city. Unlike many of the other walled cities we have visited such as Lucca, this town seems to have many fewer tourists. Unlike such famous cities as Venice which have been more or less turned completely over to tourists and not local housing, the old town homes seem to be lived in by locals here. Only a few places such as our convent are accomodations for tourists. For those of you planning a visit to Italy, this is a wonderful place to see.
Tonight we have been invited to dinner with Pietro's family. I think all of us are looking forward to meeting each other, although perhaps a little worried about how the communication will go. Pietro and Caitie will be under the gun to keep the communication moving along.
Tomorrow Caitie has classes all day so Mike and I will be on our own to tour the city and to write and tell you how the dinner turns out. Stay tuned.
I posted the Lugano photos earlier, and I will post some photos of Ferrara soon.
Ciao,
Deanne
Ferrara- Caitie's home away from home
Yesterday afternoon we drove into the charming town Caitie calls home. Ferrara is home to about 100,000 people, many of whom live within the standing walls of the old city. The castle marks the center of town with tiny 500 year old buildings and homes lining the narrow streets that radiate from the center. We are staying at an old convent San Girolamo dei Gesuati, which you can check out at their website: http://www.sangirolamodeigesuati.com/ It is a charming retreat near the center of the old town. We have old murals on the high walls near the ceilings and free internet!!
Caitie's apartment is about 15 minutes away by foot; a third floor walk up with high ceilings in the living room that permit a loft bed above the living area, and slanted lower ceilings in the kitchen and bathroom that reflect her position on the top floor. She has a fireplace and a washing machine... both charm and luxury. It is a wonderful place for her to live while doing this semester abroad.
We had a picnic dinner in our room last night with Caitie.
Gotta run; will catch up more later. Photos from Lugano are now on-line.
Love, Deanne
Caitie's apartment is about 15 minutes away by foot; a third floor walk up with high ceilings in the living room that permit a loft bed above the living area, and slanted lower ceilings in the kitchen and bathroom that reflect her position on the top floor. She has a fireplace and a washing machine... both charm and luxury. It is a wonderful place for her to live while doing this semester abroad.
We had a picnic dinner in our room last night with Caitie.
Gotta run; will catch up more later. Photos from Lugano are now on-line.
Love, Deanne
Friday, April 9, 2010
Enjoying Lugano
Today has been a great day. The four of us met for breakfast at 10:00 again (why rush things? We are on vacation and RETIRED so there is no need to hurry things). After learning how things work at the breakfast buffet, we each pounced on our favorites. Caitie got the last whole wheat croissant after losing out yesterday. Pietro got his Swiss hot chocolate made from melted chocolate chunks before they ran out like they did yesterday. Mike and I got our cappacinos right away. We were having such a great time drinking coffee, munching on fruit and enjoying each other's company that we were the last to leave the dining room at 11:10.
We followed up breakfast with a walk down to the lake. On the way we stopped in the plaza to watch two Swiss men play chess on an outdoor board beside the Burger King. I should have the photos posted at about the same time this is posted on the blog so you can see the chess players and Caitie and Pietro watching. Then we wondered down to the lakefront before splitting up for individual activities. Caitie and Pietro went for a walk and rented a motor boat to see the lake. Mike and I sat and people watched and read our books. I went for a walk around the lake and took the Lugano photos of poeple's backs. I know it is impolite to take photos of people without asking, and being language deficient and shy, it was much easier to take photos of people that weren't aware that they were the subject of a tourist's photographic artistry. Enjoy them! The front side of these people were even better.
We are tucked in for nap time (it is 6:00 PM and dinner is not for an hour and a half) then we are off to have pizza for dinner. No $400 dinners tonight! The pizza is wonderful here... thin crust and delicious toppings. Given the company, I think we will have as much fun as we did last night.
Tomorrow we leave for Ferrara, Italy. We will be able to see where Caitie lives (if we can get up four huge flights of stairs), where she goes to school and also meet Pietro's family while we are there. After breakfast here, of course!
Love, Deanne
We followed up breakfast with a walk down to the lake. On the way we stopped in the plaza to watch two Swiss men play chess on an outdoor board beside the Burger King. I should have the photos posted at about the same time this is posted on the blog so you can see the chess players and Caitie and Pietro watching. Then we wondered down to the lakefront before splitting up for individual activities. Caitie and Pietro went for a walk and rented a motor boat to see the lake. Mike and I sat and people watched and read our books. I went for a walk around the lake and took the Lugano photos of poeple's backs. I know it is impolite to take photos of people without asking, and being language deficient and shy, it was much easier to take photos of people that weren't aware that they were the subject of a tourist's photographic artistry. Enjoy them! The front side of these people were even better.
We are tucked in for nap time (it is 6:00 PM and dinner is not for an hour and a half) then we are off to have pizza for dinner. No $400 dinners tonight! The pizza is wonderful here... thin crust and delicious toppings. Given the company, I think we will have as much fun as we did last night.
Tomorrow we leave for Ferrara, Italy. We will be able to see where Caitie lives (if we can get up four huge flights of stairs), where she goes to school and also meet Pietro's family while we are there. After breakfast here, of course!
Love, Deanne
Wow, was that a dinner!
When I last left you hanging, we were off to dinner at Lugano's best restaurant with Caitie and Pietro. We have just returned. What a meal.
To describe the setting: Although Mike was hosting the meal, language proficiency thrust Pietro into the role of working with the restaurant staff. This place doesn't have a written menu. The waiters describe the offerings verbally in Italian, so poor Pietro had to translate to us plus add editorials to explain to us which offerings were likely entrees and which were starters. He was materful, turning us on to such things as champagne risotto which was a shared starter that we all loved. We ate our meal over a three hour stretch of time and three bottles of wine. Everyone enjoyed the food and the company. Pietro did a wonderful job of recommending the best choices to us and all of us ended the meal happy.
So, It is 11:15 pm and Mike and I are tucked in for the night. Caitie has poor Pietro out walking laps of the city until she feels that she has sufficiently worked off that meal. Hopefully they will be back in time to meet us for the 10:00 breakfast buffet. :+)
Love,
Deanne
To describe the setting: Although Mike was hosting the meal, language proficiency thrust Pietro into the role of working with the restaurant staff. This place doesn't have a written menu. The waiters describe the offerings verbally in Italian, so poor Pietro had to translate to us plus add editorials to explain to us which offerings were likely entrees and which were starters. He was materful, turning us on to such things as champagne risotto which was a shared starter that we all loved. We ate our meal over a three hour stretch of time and three bottles of wine. Everyone enjoyed the food and the company. Pietro did a wonderful job of recommending the best choices to us and all of us ended the meal happy.
So, It is 11:15 pm and Mike and I are tucked in for the night. Caitie has poor Pietro out walking laps of the city until she feels that she has sufficiently worked off that meal. Hopefully they will be back in time to meet us for the 10:00 breakfast buffet. :+)
Love,
Deanne
Soaking up our visit
Pietro joined us yesterday afternoon after finishing two tough midterms- game theory (very difficult) and business law (not as hard). We tried to get into a restaurant highly recommended in the guide book but they were stuffed full, so we made a reservation for tonight and went to the same place where we ate dinner. The guys had filet mignon with grilled vegetables and the girls had salad and minnestrone soup. Of course, we all shared a couple bottles of wine which our Italian wine specialist, Pietro found for us. It was a great dinner, with the waitress joking along with us...she wouldn't let Mike pour the wine....it was her job and she put me in charge of guarding the bottle to prevent anyone from touching it except her.
This morning we all met up at 10:00 for Swiss breakfast, although this hotel serves a much greater menu than our previous hotels. One table has beverages; coffee, hot chocolate (made up of chunks of chocolate that are dropped into the heated serving pot to melt), tea and hot white chocolate. Another table is loaded down with breads; sandwich bread with a toaster, croissant (both white and wheat); rolls and sweet breads. A third table has plates of cut up fruit and a giant tiered fruit bowl with whole fruit. Finally, a table with cheeses, meats, eggs (scrambled and boiled) and grilled vegetables. There is also a self service juicer for carrot juice with a pile of carrots and a citrus juicer with a bowl or halved oranges. We all ate well and committed to deny ourselves a lunch (who needs it!) in order to really appreciate this wonderful place we are eating dinner.
After eating we all went in different directions; Mike to do e-mail (we have free internet here!!), Caitie and Pietro to explore the city and me to take a walk. We have plans to gather together this evening.
This morning we all met up at 10:00 for Swiss breakfast, although this hotel serves a much greater menu than our previous hotels. One table has beverages; coffee, hot chocolate (made up of chunks of chocolate that are dropped into the heated serving pot to melt), tea and hot white chocolate. Another table is loaded down with breads; sandwich bread with a toaster, croissant (both white and wheat); rolls and sweet breads. A third table has plates of cut up fruit and a giant tiered fruit bowl with whole fruit. Finally, a table with cheeses, meats, eggs (scrambled and boiled) and grilled vegetables. There is also a self service juicer for carrot juice with a pile of carrots and a citrus juicer with a bowl or halved oranges. We all ate well and committed to deny ourselves a lunch (who needs it!) in order to really appreciate this wonderful place we are eating dinner.
After eating we all went in different directions; Mike to do e-mail (we have free internet here!!), Caitie and Pietro to explore the city and me to take a walk. We have plans to gather together this evening.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Swiss Trifecta
We are now in our third and final city on our 6 day trip to Switzerland. This morning we left Interlaken and drove the two hour trip to Lugano. After perfect weather for the past few days we hit fog here; sort of a haze hanging over the hills. It is still warm and dry enough to walk around and enjoy the shops and the lake, although the first order to business was food. We checked in to the Dante Hotel where we stayed on our previous trip and walked across the piazza to the nearby restaurant where they practically named a table after us on our last visit.
One of the joys of traveling with Caitie is she loves to share meals with me. One of us usually orders a big salad and the other a main dish and we share them while Mike, who doesn't like to mix tastes, orders whatever hits his fancy. He had a Daviola pizza, his favorite. Think pepperoni and olives on a paper this crust. Caitie and I had a similar pizza with mushrooms instead of olives. She had a small green salad and I had a huge Caprese salad. It was a great meal.
All in all, Switzerland is wonderful although hugely expensive. For example:
Check our photos of Switzerland...
Deanne
One of the joys of traveling with Caitie is she loves to share meals with me. One of us usually orders a big salad and the other a main dish and we share them while Mike, who doesn't like to mix tastes, orders whatever hits his fancy. He had a Daviola pizza, his favorite. Think pepperoni and olives on a paper this crust. Caitie and I had a similar pizza with mushrooms instead of olives. She had a small green salad and I had a huge Caprese salad. It was a great meal.
All in all, Switzerland is wonderful although hugely expensive. For example:
- 1/2 hour of internet $8
- hotel night $200-250
- pizza for one $17
- Big Mac $11.30
- 3 small Starbucks lattes $19.85
- bottle of wine in the store $7- 15
You can see why our motto has been to eat light and drink wine instead!
After lunch Mike worked on e-mail and Caitie and I wondered around town. Pietro, Caitie's boyfriend meets up with us tonight, so we are all excited to see himCheck our photos of Switzerland...
Deanne
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Another blog entry down the drain
It is getting very frustrating.... another blog entry disappeared. This time it was because the computer shut down without saving it. Big bummer. So, I will write again, kicking and screaming that I lost what I already wrote.
We are enjoying Interlaken. This is a gorgeous town in the Alps. Mike and I spent a week here two years ago and he was excited to show it to Caitie. The weather has been perfect- sunny and sparkly and the crowds are small and easily avoided. All in all, it has been a great two days.
We are back in the routine of small Swiss breakfasts, followed by long walks (made much longer by the energy Caitie is putting in to getting her cruise-plumped parents in shape) then shower, lunch in a restaurant, another walk/shopping, picnic dinner on the twin beds in our hotel room, and an evening of talking, watching tv such as Italian game shows or BBC soap operas. Today Caitie and I walked around a park that is largely a giant hill that we climbed.
I will post the Swiss photos so you can all share the beautiful day with us. As I hear about the earthquakes (Mom felt the Mexican earthquake in Palm Springs), snow (poor Susan in Colorado) and rain in Seattle I am happy to be here enjoying a wonderful Swiss Spring day.
Love to all,
Deanne
We are enjoying Interlaken. This is a gorgeous town in the Alps. Mike and I spent a week here two years ago and he was excited to show it to Caitie. The weather has been perfect- sunny and sparkly and the crowds are small and easily avoided. All in all, it has been a great two days.
We are back in the routine of small Swiss breakfasts, followed by long walks (made much longer by the energy Caitie is putting in to getting her cruise-plumped parents in shape) then shower, lunch in a restaurant, another walk/shopping, picnic dinner on the twin beds in our hotel room, and an evening of talking, watching tv such as Italian game shows or BBC soap operas. Today Caitie and I walked around a park that is largely a giant hill that we climbed.
I will post the Swiss photos so you can all share the beautiful day with us. As I hear about the earthquakes (Mom felt the Mexican earthquake in Palm Springs), snow (poor Susan in Colorado) and rain in Seattle I am happy to be here enjoying a wonderful Swiss Spring day.
Love to all,
Deanne
Monday, April 5, 2010
@Mickey D's in Switzerland Again
If you wanted to scroll back through this blog to an entry a few years ago, you would find your hard working blogger sitting in this very same McDonalds in Interlaken, Switzerland availing myself of the free one hour of internet time. For the price of a coffee we get an hour of internet, a big discount over the prices at our hotel.
We met up with Caitie on Monday at the Milan airport. Our meeting place was a little vague and a bus driver sent me to the wrong place to locate her, but after an hour of pacing the airport we found each other and hit the road to Switzerland. She looks happy and beautiful and she entertained us as we navigated the roads towards Milan and north into Switzerland. Pietro, Catie's boyfriend wisely recommended that we get GPS with our car and it performed beautifully in helping us navigate the roads. We hit lots of traffic in the spot going north where the two lanes of traffic merge to become one for traveling through a 17 km tunnel through the mountains. We sat in traffic for an hour crawling to the tunnel entrance, yet the rest of the trip was trouble-free.
Our first Swiss night was spent in Lucerne. We found a triple room that looked like a dorm room; Pergo floor, three twin beds pushed up against the walls with duvets folded in half on each, a tiny table and a sink. The toilet and shower were down the hall; one set for men and the other for women. All this plush living for only $150 per night. Parking was another $5. No internet and no window shades. We went to bed with the bright lights of street lamps shining in our windows.
Caitie and I went for a long walk through the beautiful old town. I will download the photos tonight. The river was sparkling in the sunset as we walking across the wooden bridge that is the trademark of this charming city. After walking for a few hours we stopped at the grocery beneath the trainstation to buy the elements of a picnic dinner. At 8:15 in the evening on a holiday (Easter Monday) that was the only shop open. The three of us sat on our individual twin beds and eat our wonderful meals, a roast beef sandwich for Mike and salads for Caitie and me, which was composed of a bag of lettuce each with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. A giant come down from those cruise ship feasts.
Breakfast this morning was typical Swiss hotel food- musseli, cornflakes, toast and hard boiled eggs. We are going through withdrawls from the cruise.
After breakfast we packed up the car and headed out to Interlaken, one of our favorite Swiss cities. As we headed up into the mountains we passed a sign which I interpreted as saying the mountain pass was closed, so we had to turn around and head in another direction. Nevertheless, with a 9:00 departure we arrived in Interlaken at 10:30, checked into the hotel we stayed in last time (the good old Tuscana) and walked to a favorite restaurant for lunch. After salads and minnestrone we walked around the shops and found the greatest cold weather hat for Caitie (a woolen knitted red cap with the Swiss cross on each side) and a necessary Swiss hat for Mike who lost his hat a week or two back and needed something to defend agains the warm Swiss sun. It was a beautiful sunny day all day.
So, tonight we are tucked in for the night, with picnic supplies in the frig (ham, cheese, bread, fruit and more bags of lettuce, with the treats from the nearby chocolate shop for desert).
Good night. Love to all.
Deanne
We met up with Caitie on Monday at the Milan airport. Our meeting place was a little vague and a bus driver sent me to the wrong place to locate her, but after an hour of pacing the airport we found each other and hit the road to Switzerland. She looks happy and beautiful and she entertained us as we navigated the roads towards Milan and north into Switzerland. Pietro, Catie's boyfriend wisely recommended that we get GPS with our car and it performed beautifully in helping us navigate the roads. We hit lots of traffic in the spot going north where the two lanes of traffic merge to become one for traveling through a 17 km tunnel through the mountains. We sat in traffic for an hour crawling to the tunnel entrance, yet the rest of the trip was trouble-free.
Our first Swiss night was spent in Lucerne. We found a triple room that looked like a dorm room; Pergo floor, three twin beds pushed up against the walls with duvets folded in half on each, a tiny table and a sink. The toilet and shower were down the hall; one set for men and the other for women. All this plush living for only $150 per night. Parking was another $5. No internet and no window shades. We went to bed with the bright lights of street lamps shining in our windows.
Caitie and I went for a long walk through the beautiful old town. I will download the photos tonight. The river was sparkling in the sunset as we walking across the wooden bridge that is the trademark of this charming city. After walking for a few hours we stopped at the grocery beneath the trainstation to buy the elements of a picnic dinner. At 8:15 in the evening on a holiday (Easter Monday) that was the only shop open. The three of us sat on our individual twin beds and eat our wonderful meals, a roast beef sandwich for Mike and salads for Caitie and me, which was composed of a bag of lettuce each with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. A giant come down from those cruise ship feasts.
Breakfast this morning was typical Swiss hotel food- musseli, cornflakes, toast and hard boiled eggs. We are going through withdrawls from the cruise.
After breakfast we packed up the car and headed out to Interlaken, one of our favorite Swiss cities. As we headed up into the mountains we passed a sign which I interpreted as saying the mountain pass was closed, so we had to turn around and head in another direction. Nevertheless, with a 9:00 departure we arrived in Interlaken at 10:30, checked into the hotel we stayed in last time (the good old Tuscana) and walked to a favorite restaurant for lunch. After salads and minnestrone we walked around the shops and found the greatest cold weather hat for Caitie (a woolen knitted red cap with the Swiss cross on each side) and a necessary Swiss hat for Mike who lost his hat a week or two back and needed something to defend agains the warm Swiss sun. It was a beautiful sunny day all day.
So, tonight we are tucked in for the night, with picnic supplies in the frig (ham, cheese, bread, fruit and more bags of lettuce, with the treats from the nearby chocolate shop for desert).
Good night. Love to all.
Deanne
A sparkling new Day for Switzerland
After that dark and dreary day yesterday, what a pleasure it was to wake up to a shiny and sprakly new day. It is gorgeous outside and just the right temperature. We took off from the Holiday Inn to pick up our car, a BMW hatchback model that we don't have in the US, at the airport at the appointed time and then to return to the hotel to wait until noon when Caitie is due in. It took about an hour and a half to get the car, which included taking the long way through the airport and the neighborhood to find our way back to the hotel. We rented a GPS at Caitie's recommendation to help us navigate the little one way streets of the towns but apparently this hotel is so close to the airport it was not helpful. So much for that expenditure!
Apparently the weather is good in Switzerland and we are set to have a great day. Can't wait to see our little girl!
Thanks for the appreciation note about the photos, MaryAnn. I am still working on figuring out the caption thing, but for anyone that wants to read the photos captions before I figure out how to get them on the blog you can always follow the link at the bottom of the column of photos to the Picasa website where the entire library of photos exist, including the ones that I have taken off to enable the blog to open on your computers. The Picasa site includes captions.
Chaio,
Deanne
Apparently the weather is good in Switzerland and we are set to have a great day. Can't wait to see our little girl!
Thanks for the appreciation note about the photos, MaryAnn. I am still working on figuring out the caption thing, but for anyone that wants to read the photos captions before I figure out how to get them on the blog you can always follow the link at the bottom of the column of photos to the Picasa website where the entire library of photos exist, including the ones that I have taken off to enable the blog to open on your computers. The Picasa site includes captions.
Chaio,
Deanne
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter Part 2
We had a quiet, rainy day today and used it for housekeeping. The bathroom is hung with wet laundry, but we have the added benefit of a wonderful European towel warmer that is currently being used instead as a drying rack for undies. Why waste all those watts of electricity on a towel that we won't need until tomorrow when it could be drying the clothes that we need to pack tomorrow?
In addition to washing clothes, we checked in with the kids via text, e-mail, etc. We made plans to meet Caitie around noon tomorrow at the Milan airport. We spoke to my Mom who is celebrating her 76th birthday today. Happy Birthday, Mom! We did our best to find decent food to eat, although in all of Italy we had probably the worst meals possible. Easter is a family day, our hotel is deserted and the food was not very good. At lunch time we caught the interhotel shuttle between our hotel and its sister, the Crowne Plaza. They have a restaurant, we have only a snack bar. For the first half of our lunch we were the only diners in the dark restaurant, sitting alongside the garden windows looking out at the wet patio as the rain poured down. Lunch was a choice of four meals; beef, fish, chicken or lamb. Mike had Braised Beef in gravy with potatoes while I had Poached chicken with potatoes. For dinner, we had "boca Dias" or sandwich of the day (which is the same every day- a roll with a single slice of ham and a single slice of cheese heated up and served in a paper bag). Meals will be better starting tomorrow when we hit the road, and we are working off the reserves from the cruise so today's meals hardly mattered to us.
You will notice that with the luxury of free internet I made significant progress on the blog today. Not only the entries you see, but the photos! They must be downloaded from the camera to the computer harddrive, then uploaded from there to Picaso, where they are then uploaded to the blog. It is a time consuming procress that is just not cost effective when using the expensive internet on the ship. So, if you look to the right you can see the photos we took on the trip so far. As soon as I remember how to add captions I will label them so you know what you are looking at. I also added a subscription feed for those of you who want to have our new blog entries appear on your i google page, yahoo page, etc.
We are off tomorrow to Switzerland. Weather is drizzly and 50 in Interlaken, which is our target, but we have to cross a mountain range to get there and we have no idea how to use our free internet to look up the conditions of the roads! We will keep in touch.
Love to you all,
Deanne
Happy Easter
We woke up in our Milan hotel to a rainy day. It was raining yesterday and we had hoped for a break today, but alas, it is cold, wet and rainy. You could definately call this a Seattle day.
We went down to breakfast and found that the Easter Bunny had left a jar of chocolate easter eggs (kraft is strong here too!) on the front desk counter. So little grandchildren....Athena and Ricky... Grandma and Grandpa got a visit from the Easter Bunny this morning!
Breakfast in Italy is always skimpy by American standards, but side-by-side with a cruise breakfast it was nothing! We remember how it was on our previous trip... you wander into a bar or cafe and order your coffee and pastry at the county. If you eat standing at the counter it is cheap but if you sit down at a table the price rises. The Holiday Inn serves a free breakfast with the room (even our room was free thanks to Holiday Inn points) so we expected coffee, pastry and maybe a table. Instead it was a little more elaborate...more European business hotel breakfast.... 3 or 4 cold cereals in large bowls that you spoon into your serving bowl; two bowls of hard white rolls, one shaped in rounds the other in cylinders; a plate of thinly sliced cheese, salami and ham; cups of yogurt sitting in a bowl of melted ice, and a toaster with white bread. This is accompanied by coffee from a Nescafe machine... your choice of instant coffee served espresso style, cappacino style or Americano style. This is Italian living! Of course, an Italian visiting the US and only eating in a Holiday Inn would also think we did not know what good food tastes like.
We talked to Caitie briefly last night. She was busy with preparations for dinner so we only made arrangements for meeting up tomorrow when she will take the train from Ferrara to Milan, then on to the Milan airport to meet us. We told her of our plans to tour around Milan today, although the rainy weather may have slowed us down. She was celebrating Easter with Pietro's fathers family last night, folks that she has met with previously. Today they were celebrating with his mother's family, people she has not met yet. Then on Monday, she gets her own family!
We have 24 hours of internet at no charge so we will write again later today. In the meantime, I hope you all have a great Easter. Love you,
Deanne
We went down to breakfast and found that the Easter Bunny had left a jar of chocolate easter eggs (kraft is strong here too!) on the front desk counter. So little grandchildren....Athena and Ricky... Grandma and Grandpa got a visit from the Easter Bunny this morning!
Breakfast in Italy is always skimpy by American standards, but side-by-side with a cruise breakfast it was nothing! We remember how it was on our previous trip... you wander into a bar or cafe and order your coffee and pastry at the county. If you eat standing at the counter it is cheap but if you sit down at a table the price rises. The Holiday Inn serves a free breakfast with the room (even our room was free thanks to Holiday Inn points) so we expected coffee, pastry and maybe a table. Instead it was a little more elaborate...more European business hotel breakfast.... 3 or 4 cold cereals in large bowls that you spoon into your serving bowl; two bowls of hard white rolls, one shaped in rounds the other in cylinders; a plate of thinly sliced cheese, salami and ham; cups of yogurt sitting in a bowl of melted ice, and a toaster with white bread. This is accompanied by coffee from a Nescafe machine... your choice of instant coffee served espresso style, cappacino style or Americano style. This is Italian living! Of course, an Italian visiting the US and only eating in a Holiday Inn would also think we did not know what good food tastes like.
We talked to Caitie briefly last night. She was busy with preparations for dinner so we only made arrangements for meeting up tomorrow when she will take the train from Ferrara to Milan, then on to the Milan airport to meet us. We told her of our plans to tour around Milan today, although the rainy weather may have slowed us down. She was celebrating Easter with Pietro's fathers family last night, folks that she has met with previously. Today they were celebrating with his mother's family, people she has not met yet. Then on Monday, she gets her own family!
We have 24 hours of internet at no charge so we will write again later today. In the meantime, I hope you all have a great Easter. Love you,
Deanne
Friday, April 2, 2010
We made it to Milan without a hitch
The morning started early. I couldn't sleep last night... too many things to think about. I am excited about seeing Caitie and missing the rest of the kids back home. Worried about missing connections.... etc. So, at 3:00 this morning Mike found me in the bathroom wide awake reading. I went to bed at 3:00 and slept until 6:15 when we both woke up, probably wakened by all the noises in the hallway. That was the start of a long day.
Getting off the ship was very quick and efficient although they sent us on a goose chase for awhile. The night before we were invited to wait for our departure call in a special Platinum and diamond lounge which we tried to find, but no amount of wondering around located it. When we finally found it it turned out to be an abandoned conference room with a plate of muffins and a jug of juice! Nevertheless, the departure happened on time, we boarded our bus on time, waited for one hour for everyone else to board the bus, then we took off for a four hour tour of Barcelona. What a great city! Easter weekend is a big holiday weekend here so the crowds were minimal, the weather was perfect and the city was beautiful. The Gaudi cathedral, which I loved so much on my last trip to Barcelona was just as spectacular today. We had a wonderful tour then were dropped off at the airport in time for our 3:00 flight to Milan. Also pleasant and uneventful.
Milan airport reminded us that things in Italy don't necessarily run efficiently. We selected an airport hotel so as to have an easy time of tucking in for the night. The Holiday Inn Express was supposed to have a shuttle running continuously between the hotel and the airport but it didn't show. Finally, a fellow waiting traveler, a World Airways pilot, called the hotel and they promised to rush over. Half an hour later they showed up and mysteriously two families full of children loaded into our van. We drove over to the hotel, two weary travelers and a pilot in the second row of seats and at least ten laughing little Italians in the back row of the van. Welcome of Italy!
Love, Deanne
Getting off the ship was very quick and efficient although they sent us on a goose chase for awhile. The night before we were invited to wait for our departure call in a special Platinum and diamond lounge which we tried to find, but no amount of wondering around located it. When we finally found it it turned out to be an abandoned conference room with a plate of muffins and a jug of juice! Nevertheless, the departure happened on time, we boarded our bus on time, waited for one hour for everyone else to board the bus, then we took off for a four hour tour of Barcelona. What a great city! Easter weekend is a big holiday weekend here so the crowds were minimal, the weather was perfect and the city was beautiful. The Gaudi cathedral, which I loved so much on my last trip to Barcelona was just as spectacular today. We had a wonderful tour then were dropped off at the airport in time for our 3:00 flight to Milan. Also pleasant and uneventful.
Milan airport reminded us that things in Italy don't necessarily run efficiently. We selected an airport hotel so as to have an easy time of tucking in for the night. The Holiday Inn Express was supposed to have a shuttle running continuously between the hotel and the airport but it didn't show. Finally, a fellow waiting traveler, a World Airways pilot, called the hotel and they promised to rush over. Half an hour later they showed up and mysteriously two families full of children loaded into our van. We drove over to the hotel, two weary travelers and a pilot in the second row of seats and at least ten laughing little Italians in the back row of the van. Welcome of Italy!
Love, Deanne
The Ether Dog
The Ether ate yesterday's posting. It really did! As I do everyday, I log out leaving a blank blog entry form on which I write my draft the following day. Then, after it is drafted, I upload it to the blog. This saves valuable time on-line, providing cheap off-line time for writing, and using the valuable on-line time for uploads and downloads. Yesterday, I tried to upload and everything disappeared and an error message was returned to me. I was so disheartened I skipped a day. So, you aren't going to hear about our adoption by the African American gang of girls traveling together. They have invited us on future trips with them. Personally, I think they would fit right in with our family, or vice versa. They keep us laughing.
Today is our final day on board. We are sailing by Cadiz right now, in the early afternoon, so Spain is in sight. The sea, which was calm during most the crossing with a tiny rougher patch after our final stop at Madeira. After coming into the protected waters of the Mediterranean it has been very calm. The wehater is noticably cooler... today's high is 62. But, after reading that it is snowing in Colorado, the traveling gypsies are not complaining about having to wear a sweater.
Tomorrow we are taking a short tour of Barcelona, then we are being dropped off by the tour bus at the airport. We have a 3:00 PM flight tomorrow afternoon from Barcelona to Milan, then we spend the night at an airport hotel. Easter Sunday will probably be a laundry day, then on Monday we take off with Caitie to Switzerland. She is probably meeting us at our hotel on Sunday night or Monday morning. We are very excited to see her.
We expect to have cheaper internet access once we get to our hotel tomorrow night, so look for more from us then. We will tell you all about beautiful Barcelona.
Love you all,
Deanne
Today is our final day on board. We are sailing by Cadiz right now, in the early afternoon, so Spain is in sight. The sea, which was calm during most the crossing with a tiny rougher patch after our final stop at Madeira. After coming into the protected waters of the Mediterranean it has been very calm. The wehater is noticably cooler... today's high is 62. But, after reading that it is snowing in Colorado, the traveling gypsies are not complaining about having to wear a sweater.
Tomorrow we are taking a short tour of Barcelona, then we are being dropped off by the tour bus at the airport. We have a 3:00 PM flight tomorrow afternoon from Barcelona to Milan, then we spend the night at an airport hotel. Easter Sunday will probably be a laundry day, then on Monday we take off with Caitie to Switzerland. She is probably meeting us at our hotel on Sunday night or Monday morning. We are very excited to see her.
We expect to have cheaper internet access once we get to our hotel tomorrow night, so look for more from us then. We will tell you all about beautiful Barcelona.
Love you all,
Deanne
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