Day Eight, August 25, 2010

Day Eight, August 25, 2010


I have reached an official week of being in Italy today! We wake about 8:00 AM. I slept okay in spite of the hot air in the room. The bathroon is steps away but shutting the door is difficult and it makes a noise when it opens back up so I hope I did not disturb Jane too much. This shower has a roaming temperature guage so you are constantly hopping out of the stream shreaking from the searing or freezing temperature! We get ready and then decide to go search for food before we are to meet with the group at 9:30. Jane wants fruit for breakfast and I wouldn't mind getting some as well. We find a little fruit and vegetable stand just steps away from our hotel. I get a nectarine, a few plums and some grapes. Jane

Day seven, August 24, 2010

Day Seven , August 24, 2010
I wake at 6:00 at the appointed time even before my alarm . The air conditioning is not working well and it is hot in here . The washed -out A Few more items over 24 days ago and They Are Still Not all the way dry , this damn humidity. The Negotiate the shower one more time . The Water Takes about 10 minutes to get warm ... crazy ... the shower will not get warm , the room will not get cool and my clothes will not dry , DRAT ! I use the hair dryer and try to get out of the dampness Some of my items laundered .. it makes a poor

August 23, 2010,

Day Six, August 23 , 2010 Venice

We wake at about 7:30 for the start of the day . The air conditioning is hard to manage at this point and it Was a bit cold Initially Rather But now it is warm in here . I wonder if is Set to turn down at night ( for Economic Reasons and all) . We shower up in Our Little bathroom ( and this is a little bathroom , You have to step around the sink and the bidet (all European bathrooms ... These I Have not even quite sure how to use one and a bit scary I Have Them I know I just always Avoid it) to get the toilet, Which Can Be a Bit Difficult to Negotiate in all my nightly bathroom trips . There is at least a stand up shower But It small, Hardly enough to room to bend over and pick up the soap and there is no place to place your soap ( razor , shampoo , etc. ) except the floor .. These Europeans Have to stay skinny so They Can Clean Themselves at least (or wearable Have a shower caddy .. now there is an idea) . And the bottom of shower door shut doesn't know I manage to water all over the floor ... oh the trials of starting my day !

Aug 22, 2010

Day five, August 22, 2010

I wake about 8:30 for my last morning in my little space in Locanda Silva. I think I will jog today because I don't know the next time I will be in a place where I feel comfortable donning my work-out duds and going for a long stretch. Once again, it is very hot and crowded in the main area but there is a little park out on the point that is quite pleasant. I make it back to the hotel by 9:30 and there is time for one last time at the little breakfast spot. There is no one in the place today, just me and my guide book next to the finestre(window). I go back upstairs after my modest camera (the word for room in Italian) and pack. It does take a short while to pack because I have been here for four days. They are knocking on the door wanting know when I am out, "The sign says 11:00 AM check out, don't rush me..I thought this was a laid back society...I guess its different when you want to get your work done and go home.

Day four, Aug 21,2010

Day four, August 21 , 2010


I wake up late at about 9:00 ( All Those late night adventures at Harry's bar) . I Have big decision to make, go jogging or get down to breakfast before it ends at 10:00. I Decided on the jog . The Referred to the breakfast just for a chance to meet -up with fellow travelers Some (or to catch the sweet sounds of ABBA .. haha) , But No One Seems to Want to Strike Thus to ups and conversation as I Mentioned before the breakfast Is Not the biggest I can taste treat carb Those keeping off pounds Seems the best choice for today . I go for the jog on the Same route as previous . The waterfront is really active is Now That Is A little later in the day and the the temperature is starting to sizzle . There are huge crowds of toursist going on walking tours and enjoying the views . I spot a green and white car ferry in the distance , " I Could Be at home " is my thought ( expect for These surrounding ancient buildings ) and it makes me feel comfortable ( in my soul but not in the body .. the humidity is NW not born . ) I jog about 50 minutes and then snake my way back to my little hotel. The woman at the front desk surprised Seems That I Was out running, I get strange looks with American girl Raised eyebrows is Received as I pick up the key to my room . You Actually Have to lock your room with a real key (U.S. My fellow travelers and I Have Made the mistake in the past thinking That Automatically Locks When the door shut But one must Actually Put That funny metal thing in the lock and turn it! Luckly we not Punished for Technically Advanced Our stuff remained in ignorance and despair Our room leaving it unlocked all day long) .

I shower up and make a plan for the day , Which is just to wander . I choose a new path and find a neat Wide Field (open squares here are All Called campos and only the grand daddy of Them All ... .. St. Mark 's Square Gets to Be Called . There are hundred and seventy little squares / campos here and I think Most Associated Have to church with them. ) I think I am checking out a church at one field and Realize its a hospital ! This gorgeous building houses medical professionals and ill individuals ( amazing ).... and there is a large church next store So You Can Also elicit God's help as well. I Decided to get lunch here in this field . I choose an outdoor cafe . The waiter , Sergio, is a real comedian . He is busy chatting with all the patrons in English and getting Our Life Stories. One Family With Their daughter is there. Sergio Asks what is the daughter and she is studying at the Fashion Institute of Paris . He Tells Her That She Should Do Something More Than Fashion, Beom a doctor ( You Could work right here ) . He looks over my shoulder and reads my Kindle . He Makes Fun of Our Language, why are there enough words like and laugh ... That is crazy with the f sound at the end . " Hey , English is combination of languages and besides I Do not have anything to do with ITS origins " is my response. I Could Pick A Few bones with your language too ... what are these feminine and masculine words all about ? ... How do decide if a table ( or whatever ) is macho or girly ? .. "This is too crazy . " I exclaim . I chat with a young couple next to me from New York City. He is just ending His fellowship in trauma as an orthopedist . See young fashion girl , Could you to vist Italy Some day without your parents if you Become a doctor , WAS Sergio , s comment ( or be in big debt the unless the Mom and Pop can help you out) . Sergio wants to take me for drinks, even though he says he fully discloses That He Is Married . He says I have a nice smile Serg ... thanks for the offer but i do not want to piss off the Italian Spouse and be looking over my shoulder for the Next Two Months ! I Have late meal ( home made pasta with seafood .. muscles , clams and shrimp ) Excellent! I Have now HAD my pasta meal and want a hot ITS cappacino even though (I am in the shade I know why not) . I still need to have my tiramisu But I am too full now for That. I say hello to my new friends and continue my walkabout .

I stop in A Few churches ( Beautiful admiring the architecture , letting my core temperature back and letting a little spirituality Some flow in) . The shop as well , finally Deciding On A Few trickets after looking at many ( I mean many) glass shops. By 6:00, my feet need a break and I feel like a nap , so I head back to my little air conditioned room. I take a short nap and Decides to go out for more exploration . I Have Bought a phone card but i can not make it work on the phone in my room . I head back to the waterfront where I know there are phones (I tried to use These months ago while Trying to get a water taxi to the airport ) . I can not make the card work on These phones Either ( ugh. . I thought I knew how to do this, I am not as seasoned as a thought ) . I Decided to use my cell phone and make an expensive call home ... But hey I Had A 20 dollar drink last night .. I know I want to hear a familar voice and will spend the big bucks on That tonight . I speak with Sister Paula Mom and then she gets to turn on her cell phone and I have a nice little chat with Them both.

I am getting hungry and I want to send a fax for an agreement for my future Aparment contract in Rome . I Decided to do business first so I go to the internet place just down from my hotel. Told I am the Fax does not work here , "Then take down the sign That says you offer this service for heaven's sake " are my thoughts but i do not say it . The Referred again sitting down for dinner But one full meal Seems like I know enough to buy of a slice of pizza and a beer and Bring Them to my room. I enjoy a little picnic in my dorm room ( my room is like this or like a nun in for Hovel .. plain and simple but i do have my own bathroom ) and watch an episode of " 24 " That I Have Brought along. The bed down around 11:00 looking forward to the next step of my journey tomorrow .

August 20, 2010 from Venice

Day Three August 20, 2010


I wake up a little late today..its close to 9:00. Should I go for a jog or make it down to breakfast. I decide to go to breakfast ( I did walk for many hours yesterday and no dinner after all). The breakfast is the same today...basically poor. The music playing in the breakfast room today is the greastest hits of Abba (see Geoffrey you can't get away from Mama Mia even half way across the world). After "Fernando" comes on for the third time, I decide I have lingered long enough and I will get my day started.
I work on getting my emails and blog sent. I am still having troubles logging onto the server here and the staff is not too much help. I also struggle to get my blog sent out but I think I will get the hang of it soon. I decide to wander around and then I went head to Palazzo Grassi (the the sister museum to the modern art museum I saw yesterday).

The city is crowded and it is very hot and humid! I wander down by the train station and then I realize I can't take a bridge over to the San Marco so I head back (I made this same navigation error when I was here with the Houstons a few years ago when I was acting as their guide..at least I did not keep walking this time and knew when to turn around). It is nice to get the museum and step into an air conditioned space. I liked the art a little better in the other museum but there is still some intriguing works here. You are greeted by a large lighted disco floor with techno music upon arrival here and above the flashing lights there are 200 pictures of actors portraying Nazis...the work is called "Dancing Nazi's"...showing us how our pop culture has minimalized the holocaust or something like that. There are "googly" eyes on different objects around the museum, one artist's reprensentation of how you can humanize any object (like the Geico money) and how you can make anything look silly( like aristocratic statue figure).

Day three

Here is my long journal writing for my day yesterday...

Day Two, August 19, 2010


I wake about 5:30, not bad for going to bed at 8:00. I will try to get more into the Italian flow of staying up tonight. I lie in bed for awhile listening to the end of my Audiobook, "The Power of One". Great book. I will have to see the movie but I am sure it won't be as good. "First with the head and then with the heart" was PK's motto for boxing but ended being a inspiration for all his moves of life. I think about writing in my journal but my fingers are not feeling that nimble so I just decide to get up and start my day. I want to go for a jog. I know there are a lot of staired bridges around here but I figures that okay, just good training for the Columbia stair climb this next year. I actually find a nice way to run along the main water way. People are about even a few runners.

I get about 50 minutes of running with some wonderful sight seeing along the way. I spot a tabacchi shop that I will stop by on the way back because I want to buy a phone card, but too early for them still closed before 9 am when I get done jogging.

I prepare for the day. I shower and wash out my jogging clothes. I will try out the hotel breakfast. It is a little lame for what I have experienced in the past. I couple of rolls are at your table. I dry crossaint(France would be emberrased) with some sort of small amount of jam filling are served to you. You are asked if you want coffee or tea. I ask for a cappucino and I am asked if I want coffe with milk( I thought they were the same according to a Italian learning tape I am listening to on my Ipod). The coffee is boiled on some type of large saucepan on a stove and then given to me in a tin cup and then an accompanying side of warm milk in a small pitcher is brought to my little table. Interesting, not bad but I was looking forward to a real cappucino in Italia.

day two, but official first full day in Italy

Buon Giorno,

I am sitting in the little lobby of my hotel in Venice. I am in the lobby because I can't seem to get acsess otherwise to the internet. Yesterday was a good trip but long. My flight into Frankfurt was good, watched a lot of movies and TV shows on my extended nine hour flight. Most people went to sleep but since it was still the middle of the day for me, I pulled an "all nighter". I flew on Lufthansa so it was all was present in German and English. When ordering my beveridges on the plane, I was not sure if I should order Diet Coke or Cococola light(as in Italy). "Is Coke Zero okay?", she asked. Sure, was my response. Next round, I knew what to say and ordered properly with the Coke Zero. She then said she knew my order and would I like this with my breakfast in the morning. "No", I laughed. Many hours later, when being served the morning fair, she asked me for my drink order. "Water" was my response. "Wine!", was her exclaimation when she miss heard me. I laughed. I am getting ready for my trip for Italy but I do not want have wine with my eggs and hash browns!

The Frankfurt airport was busy and I had to do a lot walking with all my baggage. I considered having a frankfurt in Frankfurt because that seemed like the thing to do here in Germany, but was not up for it, maybe on the way home.
The flight to Venice was short, under one hour. Two guys on the flight with cowboy hats...seems odd, Venetian cowboys....not much room for cow pastures here. The Venice airport was crowded. One of the luggage carousels was painted to look like a roulette wheel to advertise the local casino (more ways to spend your money here this expensive island city). There was a long line to get tickets but since I am experience traveler here, I felt proud that I knew I get tickets at the dock where there was no queue. I  took the ferry into Venice. Wow, it is such a beautiful city,

two days before

Learning how to use the blog page and picassa pictures.