Bonnie and I enjoy the art of getting lost in Italian cities. Just as making mistakes leads to knowledge, getting lost leads to discoveries. It is especially fun because the cities we've explored have no straight streets, so they often turn back on themselves and you find out that rather than being a long way from where you started, you are just around the corner. Yesterday, we set out to find the big Saturday market, which we never found. Our usual friend and guide Signore iphone let us down. It wasn't enjoyable since I'm nursing a sore ankle which I injured last summer and now it comes and goes. The uneven surfaces of Italian streets and sidewalks can be very problematic and irritating to my poor ankle. It is great fun to get lost, get hungry and then stumble on a treasure of Italian life, the trattoria. Since we had worked our way across quite a few neighborhoods, we took a cab home. Sometimes one must give in to discomfort. I will be taking it easy for the next few days and sticking to our neighborhood, which is not at all a sacrifice. We are one block from the world famous Uffizzi Gallery, and since we are entering a period of rain showers for several days to come, it will make sense to visit galleries. Lunch today was interesting. Since I need to be gentle with my ankle, we ate at a place that we have walked by several times that is just around the corner. We've looked over the menu posted outside, but today was the day for entering. It is Sunday and the ristorante was full of families. We got a little table in an alcove next to the front door with a view of the street and of other would be diners checking out the offerings. I love to watch people so this was a perfect place for me. Directly across the street, which at most was 10', was a little bottega that for some reason has fascinated me since I bought some wine and cheese there a few days ago. I really don't know why I am fixated on the place, but I am. So, I had the best time during our lunch, looking at the small, closed on sunday, shop. It is run by a couple who are probably in their mid forties. It was easy to imagine it as being passed down to them since the sign said specializing in foods of the region since 1954. I don't know whether they live upstairs, but my mind wanted that to be, so it was. There were two windows above the shop, with open green shutters facing the street. In my imagination, Niccolo, the husband sat in a ribbed tank top reading the paper as his mother who lived with them and his wife labored over the Sunday meal. As I said, I have no idea where this fantasy is coming from, but it is recurring and fascinating. But, there is much more to look at beyond my fantasy shop keepers. How about the nice looking local woman who steps out of the restaurant for a smoke as she inhales her cigarette in gulps to satisfy what must be an overwhelming need for nicotine. Or maybe the 4 children who have been allowed to go out and play while their family waits inside for their food. After having lots of energetic fun outside, they race back into the restaurant, screeching with joy until one of the waiters apprehends them and gives a strong warning of dire things to come unless they quiet down. Even better, the young newlyweds, at the table next to us. My guess is that they were from out of town and on a honeymoon in romantic Florence. They were right next to us and their eyes were sparkling with love and hope. Every now and then, the pretty bride would look down at her hand and admire her new ring. As she did, her already glowing face would light up even more. They were full of hope and promise for their future life together. When we were ordering, we had a funny moment with the waiter and the young marrieds, at my expense. Why not, laughter is free and contagious. I had decide on ordering zuppa cavalo, which translated to soup with black cabbage. When the soup arrived, the black cabbage was kale. Anyway, one must get the correct syllable accented or you may come up with a different meaning. It seems my accent came across as cavallo which translates to horse. The waiter was quick to correct me in a good natured way and we all, including the newlyweds, had a good laugh at my bumbling mistake. Bonnie ordered the Italian version of egg drop soup, with parmesan cheese, which was delicious. I had a simple salad also and Bonnie had grilled raddichio, which was a good choice. We like to have a light lunch so we can look forward to----------what else, dinner. We have cooked for the past few nights, but now we are out of food so, we get to go out to one of the many trattorias that are just about around every corner. Buona sera

We are just back from our visit to the Uffizzi Gallery. It really is just around the corner, walk two short blocks, go around another corner and you are there. The Uffizzi was established in 1581 and has 1.9 million visitors a year. Today wasn't too crowded except for about half the population of Japan. It really wasn't bad, especially after I adjusted my attitude, which is very often necessary for me in order to enjoy the unknowns in life. As with most public spaces in life today, the first step to the process was the security check. After several tries, I made it. There is always that guy--today it was me. Before we left for the gallery, I thought I'd be clever and download an app or two to make the experience more "enjoyable". You know, I like to be clever and up to date. Well, right off I realized that the app really wasn't necessary and actually interfered with the experience. When you go just about anywhere these days at least half the people around you are looking at their phones, not matter what the event or activity is. In my experience, my phone and the internet can enhance whatever the experience is, but it can also remove one from the moment. It's a toss up and one must pay attention.In the initial rooms, most of the art was religious art, in ornate frames that were more like alters. They were gold and complex, the type one would see in a church. Even though the subject matter was basically the adoration of the baby Jesus or the loving devotion of the wounded savior, there was great beauty to behold. My interest was rekindled when we entered the rooms with pieces depicting other subject matter, such as human activities and frailties not directly tied to Christian liturgy. On occasion, trains of students would file past us. They varied in content from the Italian elementary school children with the beautiful and stylish teacher to the Japanese groups with the teacher leading the train with a raised arm for visibility. I had decided that I would not take a zillion pictures, that I would concentrate on soaking in the moment. Well, that passed quickly. Everything is available to re-examine online, but the act of taking a picture and going through them later, does help to imprint the actual experience. Sometimes, I take a picture of the information about the painting along with the painting itself. The problem with that is that the photos do not always show up in order. Yesterday, while sorting, cropping and discarding photos, I decided to try something I had thought of while at the gallery. One of the apps I got and didn't use, scans paintings and identifies them. Perhaps it would work on the images showing on my screen. It did. Not that it worked perfectly, but when it did recognize a painting and I checked it by name on google, it was correct. So, now I have the beautiful images to look at and share. Technology has come along centuries after the artists lived and died, that can help spread the work and vision, along with the ability to credit the artist by name and date. Of course, there have been centuries of scholars to recognize and categorize important art, music and intellectual concepts. I am amazed and thankful for their vision. And then, there are people like me, plodding along ignorant of so much history but lucky enough to discover it as if it was brand new. I am so grateful to be at a time in my life when new/old knowledge falls in front of me like a gift from above. Today is another day. We will go to the market. I will try the walk because it isn't far. Perhaps we'll take a cab back to save my foot. Thinking of cabs, we had a good experience with one the other day. It had a rough spot but all ended well. We took a side trip by train to Montecatani, a spa town about 45 minutes by train. As usual, the train ride was smooth, simple and cheap. It is amazing the trains run at all since they usually don't even check your ticket. Many people must ride for free. Montecatani is a sweet little town, yet another version of Italian style. There was lots to see and we just got a glimpse, my ankle dictating our ability to explore. More about the town at another time. This is a little tale about the trials and tribulations of travel. The train ride in both directions went well and as we stepped off the train back in Florence we both remarked how easy this sort of transportation can be. We even knew exactly where the cab stand was located and we got one immediately. It is so easy to go on a little side trip without luggage. We had only our bathing suits and shower shoes to carry which were in a "sport sack". I travel in a "sports raincoat" made of a of a breathable material. It has lots of pockets, inside and out so it is like a backpack you wear. That, along with my passport wallet worn under my clothing and I'm a relatively self contained unit. Bonnie has a travel purse with enough zipper compartments and attached accessories to hold everything in a compact but potentially confusing unit. As with my multi pocket coat, you may have to look in a zillion places to find what you need. So, there we were, quickly arriving at the end of via del corno, our narrow little street. Since we are only about 100' from the bigger street, the cab let us off at the corner. There is always a little confusion disembarking----how much is it, take off the seat belt, find the money and pay. A few moments after we get out of the cab, Bonnie realizes that she has left the sport sack in the cab. Well, it's s dark and the cab is gone. What to do. My mind is blank. I have absolutely no idea how to even approach this problem, other to say goodby to the sportsack and the few things in it. This sort of thing shakes ones confidence, but Bonnie rallied quickly. She dashes off a text to Niccolo, our host, and asks him whether there is a lost and found or some other way to reconnect with our bag of stuff. Well, St.Anthony was watching over us, because within 5 minutes she gets a call from Niccolo telling her that he has called company and that the cab driver will be at the end of our street in 10 minutes with our bag. We put on our shoes, go out and there he was at the corner. I happily gave him €10 and a handshake. WHAT A COUNTRY.

Florence This is our third day in lovely Florence. What a city, what a country. Airbnb has become a game changer for us. The software is very user friendly and the selection of homes is wide. For whatever reason Florence is full of available apartments from modern to old world. I will go into detail about our home away from home later but for now, let me say, BELLISSIMO. Mornings have always been good for me. Is it new hope, new promise. More likely it's the result of the sleep reboot. Whatever it is, I'm a morning person. Our apartment on via del corno 1 is the perfect place for a morning person. We have a glassed in veranda. But, glassed in hardly describes it. The back wall and one side wall are the building. The actual glass walls are insulated glass sliders, so one can open the room up if need be. There is also an opening skylight in the roof. Along with the three sets of double doors that open into the house, there are two mini split heat pump registers mounted at the tops of the end walls for heating or cooling. Plants and a long table for meals complete the room which is adjacent to the kitchen for any meals one would like to enjoy out here. So far, we've only had morning coffee and pastries "outside" . The pigeons are everywhere in Florence, including on the roof of the sun room from time to time. We were just witness to a tussle between two of them for territory, while looking up at them through the semi clear roof. Yesterday was the first clear sky, sunny day for awhile, wherever we've been. Today is also clear and bright. It's cold now, 28 degrees when I stepped out to get pastries. It will warm into the low 60's I think. I'm not sure what is in store for this day, but yesterday we walked across the bridge just south of the Ponte Vecchio to climb to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The PM is a high spot with gardens and lookouts which is one of the classic tourist destinations. One can climb many stairs for the short but steep access or drive a winding road to get there. The large parking area was full of tour busses and even two red Ferrari's that can be rented for a drive around the "block". The cars had go pro camera's mounted behind the driver's seat to provide a keepsake record of what must be a very expensive driving experience. Ah, the internet. There is no longer any excuse for lack of info. So, I looked up the Ferrari rental experience. €55 for 10 minutes ($61.55 USD) In the excitement of the moment, I'm afraid I've jumped ahead. Before we started the climb up to the PM, we had one of the great pleasures of Italian life to attend to----lunch. It has taken us awhile to get onto the Italian eating schedule. It seems to go like this; a light breakfast, a good lunch at around 1:00-2:30 and then a full meal late. Many restaurants don't even open until 7:30 pm for the dinner meal. We are usually the first ones there. So, when we found a nice little pizzeria at about 12:30, as usual we were the first customers of the day. We had a delicious arugula and artichoke salad along with a margarita pizza, with wine of course. Our waiter was a delightful young man who spoke "restaurant english". Bonnie loves language so she always orders in Italian. I, on the other hand, am lazy. So, if someone knows some english, I'm all over it. We ordered, we ate. It was delicious. After the meal our new friend the cute waiter, brought us a delicious "gift" of limoncello. WHAT A COUNTRY!!!!!!!

Italy 2016

Traveling

In these days of open access to global communications, traveling is a different experience.
Like most things associated with the internet, having internet access while "out in the world" is a double edged sword.
 As far as making travel arrangements and even taking care of whatever you forget to do at home before leaving, it can't be beat. I remember going to travel agents and watching as they would look at their computers and then explain options. Really, the traveler was out of the loop, and subject to choices offered by the agent. One wasn't really aware of all the options, only those the agent decided would fit you.
The other side of the coin is that you don't get to leave anything behind unless you are that rare breed of human with intense personal discipline. Whether it's family squabbles, neighborhood scandals or national politics, you really can't get away. I understand that often our participation in our regular realities is crucial, but more often than not, it is optional.

Today is our departure day from Padua, or in Italian, Padova.
Padua is a wonderful city in north east Italy, so close to Venice that a canal connects the two. It is an ancient city, even for Italy. It's streets wind and curve from one piazza to the next. Wandering through the city can at any moment bring you into a timeless walkway, too small even for Italian cars.
Before coming to Italy, as far as canals were concerned,Venice was the place that came to mind. Well, Padua is the second Italian city on this trip, the first being Milan. Both, to my surprise have canals. Milan's canals connect the city to the Mediterranean(known as the Ligurian Sea in the north Mediterranean), while Padua's connect it to Venice and the Adriatic. Of course, both cities have abundant fish and seafood dishes on the menu. The canals are the ancient form of transportation for goods between the cities. It's much easier to float heavy loads(think marble) than pull it on poor roads.

Today is our twelfth day in Italy, 6 days spent in each city. We have realized that for many reasons, we need to stay longer in each place we visit. One reason is that as the days of your stay pass, you learn more about the place and realize things you want to experience. Another factor is that travel days are expensive, so the more of them you have, the higher the cost of the trip. The third factor is fatigue. Travel is hard and full of unexpected "adventures". For instance, our trip to Padua from Milan was fairly easy. The cab picked us up on time to easily get to the train station and the train was on time and comfortable. The ride was smooth and the scenery was interesting. What could go wrong, LOL. Well, it seems the trains stop in each station for only two minutes----no problem, right. So, there we were, in the area between the cars with the exit/entry doors. We were ready, suitcases lined up and passport locations verified, just visited the bathroom and ready to exit. Soooooooo, the train comes into the station and we see the sign verifying that indeed we are in Padua. The train slowly comes to rest and we hit the exit button next to the door. NOTHING HAPPENS. No problem, no panic, we hit it again and oh oh, once again NOTHING HAPPENS. Even though we know, as the train pulls out of the station(remember, it only stops for two minutes)that this is not the end of the world, it is still a very stress filled moment. So, I leave Bonnie with the luggage and set out to find the conductor. Now, Bonnie has much better Italian than I do(not hard to do)but my hearing is better than hers. I have to walk the entire length of the train, but I find the conductor and they tell me what to do. It is obvious. We get off at the next stop, go downstairs to another level, crossover to another set of stairs and go back up to the correct platform for the train going in the opposite direction. I should mention that we only had a total of 8 minutes to accomplish this and our luggage is anything but light. Being that our combined age is137, all of this is no easy feat, but we do it. So, here we are on the train again, wary and weary, wondering whether the door will open for us this time or will we be stuck on an endless loop of Italian railway reality. Well, the door does open, we get a cab and soon we arrive at our new Via Roberto Marin home for the next six days.

I am writing this from the train station cafe' while waiting for our train to our new home for the next 10 days in Florence. We should already be enroute but  our original train was cancelled.
Ah Italy---I love you.
Well, here we are, on the train. It was on time and we are smoothly traveling south toward the home of the Renaissance, Firenze(Florence for you gringos, LOL)