Days 9 - Florence Markets and Paintings

I love Florence.  I love Florence so much more than I expected.  I love Florence so much, that this is the other city that I really want to go back to.

Day 9 - We leave Bologna (no tears here), and arrive in Florence.  We sat with a nice, older Italian couple who couldn't speak much English, but they were amused by our chattering.  At least we didn't annoy them.

Anyway, we disembark in Firenze, and take a very short cab ride (really, we could've walked, but didn't realize it) to our hotel.  This was probably my favorite hotel - and I wish I had the name near me. We rang the bell, and the owner came down, and carried my heavy suitcases up a very large staircase to his small hotel on the second floor.  This establishment had perhaps 5-7 rooms and was run by a man and his parents.  Very quaint, very little air-conditioning, and a fantastic location.  One thing I learned about Florence - literally, everything is within walking distance.   Even for two very tired American girls.

After we leave our luggage, we go out to find food.  Oh, we found food.  We found food in the market straight from heaven.  We first stumbled upon the leather market - blocks of wonderful-smelling purses, jackets, belts, journals, vests, etc. in every color imaginable.  Truly, this is the leather of Italy.  I was amazed (but not so much that I didn't partake in haggling).  2 purses and 2 wallets later, we then found the food market attached to the leather stall.  Oh, the wonders of this Aladdin's cave of food!  Balsamic vinegars, mushrooms, olive oils, pastas, fresh meats (some with the heads still on), cheeses, breads.  This was the market I was hoping for in Bologna.   And I was hungry. We found a stall with a man making fresh sandwiches to order.  I had a prosciutto and cheese sandwich on ciabatta bread, with artichokes, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce.  It was huge and it was heaven.  He sliced the meat and cheese, and there was nothing "unfresh" about this one.

We bid a sad farewell after getting our sandwiches - we had some art to see.   Museums in Italy take reservations, and we reserved for the Accademia and the Uffizi.  Day 9 was the Uffizi.

I love art - especially Renaissance Art (and Flemish, but I wasn't expecting to see many Flemish paintings here).  I was amazed at the Caravaggios and the Botacellis, to name a few - to see "The Birth of Venus," "Primavera," "Portrait of Lucrezia," portraits of Medicis, AH!  Such beautiful masterpieces that give us a great insight to Italian history and culture.  My favorite was the room with "Primavera" and "The Birth of Venus."  Botacelli has such passion in his color and topics, and we sat, staring at the beauty these paintings possess.

Saddened to leave, but deeming it necessary, we left with a greater knowledge and appreciation for Italian art.  This, so far, was the best art museum we had been to (only to be challenged by the Borghese Gallery in Rome).   We bought some prints, and now my classroom has several on display, and I will use them when teaching Shakespeare/the Renaissance.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped to stare at the splendor of the Duomo.  I had seen churches all over England, Paris, and now Italy, but was surprised at the beauty of this one.  Michealangelo's dome looms over the city, and the colors of the mosaics create peaceful lines and eye-popping wonder.  In the evenings, shadows cast upon the buildings create almost a mythical and mysterious feel.  The buildings, shut tight, held secrets - I was sure.  Secrets of Catholicism, secrets of the artists and masons who spent their blood creating this gift to God and royalty.   We ended up not going in - visitors were not allowed that day, and my one regret about this trip was that I never got to go inside.  Perhaps next time.


Next entry: Day 10 - Florence - Bike Rides and a Naked Man

Day 8: Bologna

Wow.  Sorry for never finishing my entries on Europe!  I'm about to embark upon another foreign adventure, but I figured I'd go back and continue writing about the last one before I begin the new one.

Day 8 - Bologna
I was really excited about this branch of our trip.  Cuisine from Bologna is world-renowned, and after watching "Around the World in 80 Plates," I was really hoping to try some really good pasta.

So we left Verona early in the morning for another train ride.  This one was rather brief, and we arrived in Bologna in enough time to go to a market and eat lunch before resting.

We arrived at our hotel, dropped off our belongings, and hit up a local market.  Jamie and I LOVE markets, and I was really hoping for some good eating.  Alas, this very large market was more like a flea market, and it was quite disappointing - full of garage sale clothes, cheap bags, and perfume.  We searched carefully, hoping to find that something special.  It wasn't meant to be.

Leaving the market, we walked to the center of town - and what a pleasant sight!  We found a large square, surrounded by restaurants.  The neatest thing is that in the middle of the square was a large movie screen and hundreds of fold-out seats.  We stumbled upon a film festival, and the night before was a Hitchcock film.  We stumbled upon a small cafe near there, where I ate a yummy cheese ravioli with leeks.  Superb.

After an enjoyable meal (complete with white wine, of course), we decided to take a long-needed rest.  We had been doing a great deal of walking, traveling, stair-climbing, etc. and we needed a nap.  We got lost on our way back to our hotel, but found a grocery store.  Intrigued, we entered this wonderland of Italian food.  This grocery was nothing like your typical American monstrosity.  This one, typical of Italian groceries, was tucked in a street and was about 1/4 the size of a Kroger.  That said, we were amazed by the little, unexpected delights: mozzarella balls for 1 euro, 6 huge figs for 2 euro.  Wine in little boxes (think Hi-C or Caprisun).  An amazing array of local wines decently priced.

Loaded down with goodies, we stumbled back, exhausted, to our hotel.  Finally allowed in our room, we fell upon our beds - and then I went "ouch" - not a soft place to land.  :-)  But the bathroom worked fine, and the room was rather large for European standards.  We flipped on the television and attempted to watch an Italian soap opera - and had great fun making up the lines because we couldn't figure out what they were saying!

4 hours of sleep and rest, and it was time to go back to the square - we had a food market to find.  Remember, my expectations were pretty high - this was Bologna, after all.  We found the market after passing high-end designer stores, but were disappointed in the smallness of this market.

Overall, Bologna is pretty to look at.  It does have a large tower, Europe's oldest university.  But I must say that it was my least favorite city.  Perhaps that's one city in which we need a tour guide.

Days 9-11, Florence, proved to be MUCH better than expected.

Cheers!

The Wandering Texan

Day 7 - Verona

** Sorry that I didn't continue to post as I went, but internet was sometimes difficult to get and by the end of most nights, I was exhausted!  I'm home now, but will continue to share my trip (in a series of blog posts).  One perk is that the iPad wouldn't let me separate my paragraphs, and here I can.

Today was a full day in Verona - and it has to be one of the prettiest cities/towns in Italy.  Yes, there were tourists, but it was the least touristy place we went (except for Juliet's balcony).  I'll explain more in my recap post.

Our bed-and-breakfast was reasonably comfortable, and I'd stay there again.  The only issue we had (besides poor wifi availability) was the door - it was a door with a really old, old-fashioned lock and key and we struggled to lock it and unlock it.  Sometimes we'd get "home" and just leave it unlocked because it was such a hassle!  Our first morning's breakfast was presided over by the owner's "Zia" - a very adorable old aunt who couldn't speak a lick of English.  I was willing to try Italian, so we chatted - with lots of arm gesture and pointing at maps.  She told me of the best places to see, which was nice to hear from a local.

After we left, we hopped on a Hop-on/Hop-Off bus tour, which was thoroughly enjoyable.  Verona has an amazing mountainous skyline, and this bus tour took us into the mountains for a memorable site at the Sanctuary.  We stopped off there for a while for lunch (with local Verona wine, some of which I brought back with me) and photographs.  The view allowed us to see the medieval city walls, which are very well-preserved.  Back on the bus, we stopped at the Teatro, where we got to climb the usable ruins (the stage was set up for a show that night) and then the Arena, which is known for their amazing operas.  The arena is the best-preserved Roman amphitheater and is still in use today.  That night's performance was "Carmen," which we didn't see because of time and money, but they had the set pieces for the other operas outside.  We saw Juliet's balcony, Aida's Egypt, etc., which was quite nice to see.

We continued all around the city, culminating in a trip to Castlevecchhio, a beautiful castle, and  massive sunburn, but it was totally worth it.   Dinner was in the Plaza d'Erbe, where I tried spaghetti carbonara - and it was one of the best things I ate on the trip - I have to learn how to make it!

In retrospect, Verona is one of the two cities that I wouldn't mind coming back to.  It's peaceful, historical, and manage-able (whereas Rome can be very overwhelming).  I could even see myself owning a small house in the area.

Next post: Bologna.

Ciao!

Days 5 and 6 - Venice and Verona

Day 5 was our last full day in Venice, and I think we accidentally saved the best for last. After waking up early, we wandered to a nearby cafe for a cappuccino and brioche (we call the croissants) and wandered aimlessly to St. Mark's square again for a tour of the Basillica and it's treasures. I tempted fate and wore capri jeans, which was a good bet because the weather calmed down a bit (or maybe I was just getting used to it). At first glance, the ceilings are filled with paintings; further examination discovers them to not be paintings at all, but intricate mosaics, some even filled with gold leaf. The effect is awe-inspiring. It's the largest church in Venice and is attached to the Doge's Palace since the government and state became basically one (more on that later). One interesting thing about Venice, which I mentioned earlier, is that their is a lot of uneven-ness in the flooring/sreets due to the stilts. The floors of St. Mark's follow that concept and can be tricky to manuever at times - don't wear high heels! After St Mark's, Jamie and I had time to get some more photos and just wander around (with the omnipresent gelato in our hands). After a short trip to the Royal Gardens, we took a tour of the Doge's palace. I've been to Versailles and Hampton Court Palace, but this palace outshines them all in human innovation. The largest room, where the Doge held court with his Council of Ten, is the widest palatial room in the world at the time without supporting beams. The grandeur of the building is astonishing, considering when it was built. We learned a great deat about Venetian history and realized why Venetians were so proud - theirs is a country without a riot (ever), their Doge never had complete power (he ruled with a council), the Doges were elected late in life to prohibit take-overs (and were viciously killed when attempted to do so) and remained independent from their split with Constantinople all the way up to Napoleon's conquest. They ruled the sea and showered the city with symbols of lions, St. Mark, Jupiter, Mars, and Neptune to remind them of that. Last bit of random info: Venetian Renaissance painters mostly painted blonde women because they focused on painting light. Really, I am so filled with information and I cannot wait to come home and make powerpoints/presentations for my students. After a much-needed nap, we finally ventured out to see what the city looked like a night. Grabbing some fresh fruit (abundant here!), we discovered a little wine bar on on the other side of the Rialto Bridge - people ordered wine and wandered away with it in the piazza and drank it at the leisure. Very Italian. We then found a farmer's market that was closing, and vowed to return. This morning, Day 6, started at the Farmer's Market. We saw such an abundant array of fresh fruits, veggies, and fish! Octopus, squid, huge scampi, cuttlefish, and a variety of fish both familiar and strange. And the meat! Jamie didn't enjoy looking at it, but it was so fresh that heads and tails and feet were still on some of them (like the rabbit and goose). Next time I come to Italy, I'm renting and apartment so I can shop at the market and cook. We then took a short train ride to Verona. Honestly, all I knew of Verona was what Shakespeare wrote and that it has the best preserved Roman ruins north of Rome. I didn't realize the beauty of the scenery - bustling piazzas surrounded by towers and churches, with the Italian mountains in the background filled with palazzos and city walls. We went to Juliet's House, which is a big tourist attraction. We weren't expecting much, just a cheesy balcony that is touristy and fiction. But we didn't realize that it is also a museum inside of a 15th century house. It held pieces of 15th and 16th century furniture and move memorbilia (costumes and the bed from Zepherelli's version), but the layout of the house was the intriging part. Small rooms built more upward than out, small fireplaces in most rooms, wooden stairs and windows overlooking the vista. The outside, however, is a sharp contrast. Lovers for years have scribbled their names all over the walls and bricks, locks meant to secure lovers' fates adorn a chain-length fence and tree, and a statue of Juliette sits proudly in the courtyard holding court. Unfortunately, she gets molested every 10 seconds because apparently rubbing her breast for luck is tradition (hence her breasts are the shiniest parts of her statue)) and tourists from all over the world grab her boob and smile for the camera. In fact, we passed by a souvenir shop selling magnets in the shape of her right breat. Odd. For lunch, I finally got risotto - and it was very enjoyable. I haven't decided whether or not to embrace my inner Anthony Bordain and try horsemeat stew, but I'm contemplating it - I am trying to immerse myself in the culture. I don't know. But outside our table area was a nice piece of Roman ruins - the modern streets was torn away to reveal the Roman street underneath. Again, awe-inspiring, just like the church visits that followed. My proudest moment (or maybe not) was climbing the Tower. Jamie took the elevator, but I wanted to prove myself and took the stairs. I didn't realize at the time that it was more than 10 flights of stairs. And exhausting. I was a huffing, puffing mess by the time I finished and was epecting to hear the "Rocky" theme music, but alas it didn't enter. Instead, I was rewarded with a breathtaking view of the area, complete with the Roman Arena and the walls of the city. I want to come back and spend more time here. Ciao!

Days Three and Four - Venice

Yesterday morning we arrived in Venice and realized quickly how different Venice is. First of all, air conditioning and hot showers aren't as important, wifi was difficult to obtain, and my hotel didn't like my calling card (or so I think). But after acknowledging the above, we're having a pretty pleasant time. I realized that I packed incorrectly. I shouldn't have packed pants. I've been rewearing the same dress and skirt (after washing them in the sink) because it's so hot. The next time I come to Italy in the summer I'll bring more dresses (which will make my suitcase lighter anyway). So, what about Venice? It's wonderful, despite the differences and little issues. As soon as Jamie and I disembarked the train, we were thrown into this world of beauty, innovation, and architecture. Very different from Milan and Rome, Venice has quite an Byzantium influence, as we recognized from some of the designs on the houses. I personally am enthralled with the random, small window dressings and statues of the Virgin Mary that pop up, reminding us of the Catholic history in this country. Venice is steeped in tradition, and is an interesting mix of old and new. Gondoliers are everywhere, and yes, I did take one. But gondolas are quite interesting - they are perfectly symmetrical, must be steered carefully so as to not tip over, cost 25,000-40,000 euros a piece, only 5 people in Venice make gondolas, and gondoliers must attend 5 years of training. While they are neat to watch, they are merely for entertaining trips and not for practical travel. We've been using their waterbus system, which is just as good as a canal tour -taking the number 1 is the best way to see the canal and thus both sides of Venice. Some things about Venice are perplexing, such as the number of dogs we see versus the amount of grass we don't see (they have a few parks, but not really near the center). Such as how Italians don't understand the loveliness of airconditioning. Such as how there seem to be little connection to what's going on - we haven't seen newspapers or magazines (hardly) and advertisements are pretty scarce. It's a nice difference from America who thrives on media. If we didn't have internet, we'd have no idea what's going on in the world. It's much more relaxed over here. Yesterday we took a guided walking tour, learning about the layouts and basic history. We learned, for example, that the wood underneath the city (the woood that holds the city up) are piece of pine that the saltwater petrified. Some places of the city are uneven and "leaning," but they balance each other. The city streets are extremely complex and difficult to follow, but we were told that even Venetians are confused easily! Last night we decided to partake in some local cuisine, but found the serve wanting. In fact, many others in the restaurant were complaining as much as we were, but I can't tell if it's just poor service or the Italy-Spain Eurocup game was just too much for the waitstaff. Nevertheless, we won't go again, despite the fact that I loved their gnocchi. Today we took a pretty easy day - we went to the nearby islands of Murano and Burano. Murano (which has the only cemetery nearby, and we did see a motorboat hearse) is known for their glass, and is it every impressive. Many furnaces and artisans enjoy tourists watching them, and they display their goods in stores all over. I wanted to take so much of it home, but feared breakage. I settle for a few pieces of jewelry that will last and remind me of the beautiful work I saw. We then stopped for some more local cuisine - where I had cuttlefish in a black ink sauce and polenta. It was very good - and very strange at the same time. I love trying new and local foods. Burano was an extremely pleasant surprise. We didn't plan on going, but a friend recommended it the other day. We disembarked the water bus to an island that was a cross between Charleston, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Venice. Tightly packed houses were brightly colored (almost neon at times) with colorful curtains covering their doors. Older ladies hand made lace (famous in Burano) in little circles and shops. I did buy some lace there, and the artistry is beautiful. I watched a woman make lace, and was just amazed with her patience and skill. It's such a differences from living in country where technology and newness is important. Burano plays to the tourists, but its charm remains in the past. Next time I come to Italy, I will come back to Burano because it really is that moving. Tomorrow we tour again - St. Mark's Basillica and the Doge's palace. We walked so much and spent so much time in the sun that we're turning in early tonight. I can't wait for tomorrow's tours - more history! Ciao!

Day 1 and 2: The journey over and Milan

Well, I am in Italy. Day 1: The flight. Not too bad. We flew United, which is the first time I've flown United since Continental merged with them, and it hadn't really changed. I miss the free wine that I got on Air France last year, but I survived - and was flying on a plane that let me charge my iphone and use normal ear buds which was nice. I hardly slept though, which didn't bode well for Day 2. Day 2: Milan. We arrived early this morning, and realized that we forgot to Googlemap where our hotel was. We figured out how to get to the city center from the airport via train and then hopped on a taxi to our hotel. Our hotel, Hotel Nesco, pleasantly surprised me. It's very clean, had a working elevator, and really was like a normal American hotel - but Italian. It's relatively modern, has working air conditioning, and is only a few miles from the center. I highly recommend it. After we checked in and showered, we set off on our adventure. First thing we quickly realized, however, was the weather. OMG is it hot. It's probably a couple of degrees cooler than Houston, but we were outside. I wore a dress, which was comfortable, and lamented the fact that I brought jeans. I'm going to wear the jeans tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure the sweating will continue. Lunch today was a simple pasta - a shape I've never had before with a lovely tomato-ricotta sauce. Perfecto. We then hopped aboard a Hop-on-Hop-off Bus at the Sforza Castle, which is amazingly huge. We got off a the Duomo; whatever words I use to describe it won't do it justice at all. It was amazingly beautiful and serene. Gelato #1 came then - across the street from the Duomo. I had a combination of chocolate and tirimisu and relished every bite. We then wandered to the Victor Emmanuel plaza, then the teatro, and finally hopped back on the bus to go to Santa Maria Della Grazia, a 15th century church famous for having Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" on a nearby wall. It was almost a fresco, so it couldn't be moved. It was amazing - large and just full of depth. It's hard to believe that Davinci himself painted that picture upon he wall so long ago - and it's still there. Did I mention gelato #2? It was fruitcake and dang yummy! After a bit of a walk, we grabbed a slice of pizza and headed back. I'm so tired right now that I can barely write a compete sentence. Future blog posts will be much better soon! Ciao!

Ciao!

Well, not really.  Almost.    Italy is looming, and the one thing that I'm focusing on?  Clothing to wear!  I don't want to be targeted as a tourist (and therefore become burglar-bait), but comfort is huge - especially since Rome is so freakin' hot right now.

Italians are very much aware of "la bella figura" and treat people better when they look well put together.  Unfortunately, Italians are also thin and most haven't experienced the (dis)pleasure of plus-sized shopping.

The other problem my PIC and I have is that we'll be gone for quite a while - and we're not sure about visiting laundromats while we're there.  So my solution is to pack clothes that I'd wear three times and use febreeze in between wears.  And if something gets particularly funky, I'll wash it in the sink.

So, my packing list includes: 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of jean capris, 1 pairs of black pants, 1 pair of brown pants, 1 skirt, 8 tops, 1 pair of pjs, 10 pairs of underwear (they will be washed),  2 bras, four pairs of shoes (tevas, Clark thongs, Dansko sandals, brown closed toe shoes).  I vacuum seal my clothes so that they fit better (and then I can seal off my dirty clothes for the trip back).

Miscellaneous materials: camera, maps, books, toiletries, iphone, ipad.

I swear I'm bringing more things on this trip than I did last year, but it doesn't seem all that bad.   My carry-on will be very heavy, though, since I'm bringing my camera in a camera bag.  I plan on taking nice photographs on this trip, so it's needed.

Almost there!

-Ciao!

Where's the Wanderer?

Sorry, I haven't been updating my wanderings!  I've actually been planning future wanderings instead of wandering myself.  But it's all good - sometimes the planning is almost as fun as the wandering!

I'm heavy into my Italian tour (with a 3-day Portugal layover).  I've bought some sturdy walking shoes (Clarks and Danskos), ordered some Euros, told my banks I'm leaving, bought travel-sized toiletries, some jeans and shirts, etc.  I just need a few more things (khakis, some skirts, and a second electrical converter/adapter) and I'm all set.  I'm trying to learn a bit of Italian, but it's slow because I don't have anyone to practice with.  Next week I plan to watch some movies that are set in Italian to maybe pick up on a few words/phrases.  Portuguese is even slower, but I think many also speak Spanish - and I can speak Spanish.

2 more trips are on the horizons - Poland and Turkey (or Budapest).  It's funny - I got my passport 8 years ago and it stayed relatively naked until last year, and now by the end of 2012 it'll have 8 stamps in it (England, 2 France, 2 Italy, Portugal, Poland, Turkey or Hungary).  And all of those stamps were acquired in two years!

Since this trip is an educational research/acquisition trip, I've book tons of tours and museum/historical site visits.  I can't wait to soak up the culture, history, art, and food - and share it with my students.

Ciao!

Strawberries and Princess Leia

Sorry for not wandering lately, but sometimes work and life does get in the way.  My mind wandered plenty, though, about future wanderings and adventures.  This weekend I was able to kind of catch up.

This past weekend was the Strawberry Festival in Pasadena, Tx.  I've never been before, despite my Texas upbringing, but some friends cajoled me into visiting their booth.  So I grabbed my camera and off I went.

I don't really know what I was expecting - perhaps lots of strawberries, and eating contest or two, lots of food.  Oh, it was so much more.  It's also a place with vendor booths, a carnival, tons of carnival food (a hamburger on a pair of doughnuts, anyone?), a barbeque cook off, and the largest strawberry shortcake in the world.

My first stop was the shortcake.  It was truly the size of my living room, if not larger - and they were selling huge chunks for only $2.00 (my one piece could've fed four people).  It was tasty, but not spectacular - but what can you expect from a mass item of food?  It had cake, whipped cream, and then strawberries.  Mine at home are better because I soak the cake in the strawberry juice, but that would've been a bit more difficult.

I then wandered around the vendors, stopped at the various theatre booths to see my friends, and dodged gaudy, blinky, bedazzled outfits and cups to sell.  Not finding anything worth my time and money, I headed out to the midway where I immediately indulged on chicken on a stick.  It was "cajun style," but not spicy.  The batter was more reminiscent of a fish-and-chips batter, which made me happy.  It was juicy and crispy and just yummy.  Although I enjoyed it, I wish I waited - because I then ran across so many more foods that just called my name - fried oreos, fried shrimp, barbeque... yum!  But alas, I ate the shortcake and chicken and had to ignore the rest.

After spending some time with my friends, the uber-talented group behind Stage Door Inc. Theatre in Houston/Pasadena, I left.  I should've brought a friend, which I will do when I go next year.

Yesterday I wandered to the Hobby Center for Performing Arts to see Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia)'s one-woman show - "Wishful Drinking."  I knew it was humorous, and I knew it was about her life, but I was not expecting the blunt humor drenched in sarcasm and humility.  She was comfortable, went into the audience, asked the audience questions, and told her story in a way that was so brutally honest that I was sometimes confused as if I should laugh or not.  No one was safe: herself, her husbands, her parents, Elizabeth Taylor, George Lucas.  She talked about being bipolar and an addict in such a way that gave some insight into the disorders.  And she gave a great piece of advice: when you're feeling sorry for yourself, watch World War II documentaries and footage.

Wander on, friends.

These Boots Were Made For Flying

Or shall I say, walking onto a plane destined to Europe?

Yep, this Texan will wander overseas for a fantastic adventure - a 17 day trip to Italy and Portugal.  One of my partners-in-Wine-Tasting-crimes and I wrote a fantastic grant for/to Fund For Teachers, a wonderful non-profit organization that encourages teachers to plan their own professional development.  Well, Jamie and I decided that our classes would benefit by us being smarter about the world - and Italy in particular since it's the birthplace of the Renaissance, home to the Catholic Church (a very influential political game-player for a long time), and ancient Rome.  For 14 days, we'll tour Milan, Venice, Verona, Bologna, Florence, and Rome to collect examples of media, tour art museums and ancient structures, churches, take photos of European city life, etc. and share our spoils with our classes next year.  PLUS we over-budgeted our airfare by a couple of hundred dollars and we'll be using that money to extend our trip - we have a layover in Lisbon so we're staying there a few days to do the same thing.  Now we'll have examples from TWO European countries to compare to America. 

So, needless to say, I'm excited.  I've been to Europe before - twice to London, twice to Paris, and once to Rome, but this is a most-expense paid trip to do what I love - learning about cultures and history.   

Here's our list of definites:

Milan: random tour of city ("The Last Supper" is already sold out)

Venice: gondola tour, St. Mark's Basilica, maybe the Murano glass museum

Verona: Romeo and Juliet tour (hey, we're English teachers)

Bologna: Nothing definite, just exploring the small town

Florence: Uffizi, Accademia, Duomo, various palace gardens (day trip to Pisa)

Rome: Vatican, Coliseum, Forum, Gallerie Borghese, the palazzos, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon.

Anyone else have any recommendations?

Happy travels, and I leave you with a picture of the Texas state flower: the bluebonnet. 

 

Galveston and More Wine

I'm not a wino, but I thoroughly enjoy wine festivals because I enjoy learning about wine (like I had to learn about coffee when I was a Starbucks manager).   I don't have the time to become a wine expert, but I like to learn what I like and what I don't.

So, my girls and I went to another wine fest - the Galveston Wine and Food Festival.  For $45, we gained entry, a wine glass, and endless supply of wine tastings from wine around the world and food tastings from Galveston restaurants.  Jen B. had gone before, thus encouraging our adventure, and I have to admit I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

We arrived a little before 2pm - although if I could go back into time I would've arrived much earlier.  Although the general admission was 2pm, 70 degrees is a glorious opportunity to spend in Galveston.  The Strand (once dubbed the Wall Street of the Southwest) is alive with old-fashioned/original street design, fun stores, beautiful buildings, an ice-cream parlor and several restaurants.  Home to Dickens on the Strand in December (where I met Lucinda Dickens Hawksley and enjoyed seeing all kids of people dressed in Victorian garb sipping mulled cider and delicately munching on meat pies while listening to bedecked carolers), the summer fills the Strand with a beach-y air.  Just a couple of blocks from the cruise terminal and various piers, the Strand is a delectable place to stroll on a lazy Saturday.

Anyway, we got there early and were let in (the VIPs got entry earlier, for an additional $50).   Although the area was rather small - held at Saengarfest Park - it was very pleasant.  A live band performing popular music entertained the people milling around, and tents shielded people and consumables from the bright sun.  We waltzed in, had out ticket scanned, and were handed souvenir wine glasses with attached plates for the food.  For three hours we floated from tent to tent, table to table, trying wines from all over the world and food from all over Galveston.  My favorite foods were mini-martini glasses with ceviche from Yago's, as well as this wonderful pasta laced with a lovely balsamic vinaigrette, and a pistachio-crusted lamb chop.  The rest of the food was fantastic also - empanadas, friend oysters, brie, plantains, chocolate, etc.  The food was chosen well, for they paired nicely with the varieties of wine offered.   My favorite was a prosseco acquired early in the hours, and then I found several chardonnays and merlots that I enjoyed as well.  The only wine I did not care for was a local pinot noir (the flavor did not mesh well with my taste buds).

Afterwards, we moseyed down the Strand, where several merchants set up stands/tents.  Mostly filled with over-priced crafts the Texas Olive Oil company was there, and I purchased a bottle of fig balsamic vinegar (which I can't wait to try with an insalada al caprese).  We then strolled two blocks over to Pier 22.  The wind whipped our hair and sea water filled the air.  The ship Elissa was docked, and getting ready for a wedding - what a place to have it!.  After about 3 minutes of strolling, we headed back to our cars and left Galveston.   We didn't get to the beach, but after a horrendous rainstorm this week, the water was extremely brown from the sediments getting stirred.  I'll go back later this summer.

Happy wandering everyone!

Butterflies and Berries

Today my partner-in-crime (PIC) and I wandered around the city of Houston, a relatively local wandering.  The Museum of Natural Science was having an exhibit on the Civil War, and since PIC is a Civil War buff and I'm a history-in-general afficionado, we wandered over to the area to check it out.  I packed us a picnic lunch and off we went.

While in line to acquire our tickets, we decided to add on the Cockerell Butterfly Exhibit tickets - we both love butterflies - and also walked out with a membership to the museum.  I love museums and a membership not only supports the museum, but gives us inside tips, free entry year-round to the normal exhibit halls, and discounts to the special exhibits.  It's a win-win deal.

We went first into the Civil War exhibit, and we came out with the same opinion: Although it was interesting, we didn't particularly care for the layout.  The focus on the exhibit was documentation acquired by the National Archives, from letters to slave records, from political affidavits to picture.  The first part (about 80%) was facsimiles of documents mixed in with the occasional original.  We both would have like to see more originals than merely pictures of them.  The second part (the 20%) was filled with relics, which were quite fascinating: clothing, weapons, buttons, tintypes, mess kits, etc.  Perhaps my favorite things to look at were the sketches made by soldiers during the war.  Some were extremely talented with pen/ink and pencils, and were filled with raw honesty.  That, and learning that Jefferson Davis' wife was about 25 years younger than he was and at 58, he had a one year-old, a three year-old, and a six year-old.  I just assumed his wife was older and their kids were older.  Somehow a bit of humanity was added into him (not that he was a monster, but he was a farmer-turned-politician).

Afterwards, we went to the Butterfly Hall, which is always a delight.  While the hissing cockroaches and spiders creep me out a bit, entering the glass-enclosed butterfly habitat is like wandering into a child's idea of a fantasy.  Beautiful butterflies dart everywhere, splashing their color across the sky.  They delicately flutter to and fro, landing on plants, landing on people, constantly moving around.  As a budding nature photographer, I was in heaven and took several good photos.  One cannot help but clasp one's hands in delight as a butterfly flits by, followed by one, two, three, four more.

Before leaving the museum area, we stopped to eat a picnic lunch at Hermann Park.  I filled our basket with simple goodies: bread, cheese, apples, and sausage (how European of us).  As we walked around the park, I thought about writing a code of conduct for a park.  An example would be: Rule 1 - No Smoking.  Enjoy the clean air instead.  Rule 2 - Don't play loud music, for not everyone shares your taste.  Rule 3 - If you let your children run around, please make sure they have the decency to keep their volumes at an appropriate level so as not to disturb others.  I think people forget about common decency when at a "public" park, believing that they are free to do what they wish.  That is true, but don't forget that you're not alone.

Enough rambling.  We ended the day in the Nassau Bay/Clear Lake area.   I was ready to go home, but PIC loves to pick wild blackberries, and he wanted to go to his patch.  So we did.  This place shall remain a secret so that it won't get picked through every year.  I wanted to just take photographs, but the picking of blackberries is addictive.  I had to find more!  :-)   Tonight, we shall have blackberry shortcake.

I don't have to wait until next week - tomorrow I shall wander again.  My family and I are going to partake in the Texas tradition of taking family photographs amidst the bluebonnet fields near Brenham/Austin.  I'm a native Texan, yet have actually never done that, so I'm looking forward to it.

Happy wandering!\\

Texas Wine and Sunshine

My first "official" wandering was at the Old Town Spring Wine Festival, just a 30 minute drive north of Houston, Texas.  I enjoy a glass of nice wine, and love to taste local vintages, so I gathered up a group of taste-testers to join me.

This was our first jaunt to this wine fest, although I went to Old Town Spring when I was a child.  I remembered quaint stores, Christmas lights twinkling in the trees, and carolers.  I was interested to see how I would view the area as an adult (with wine added to the mix!).  I am pleased to report that Old Town Spring still maintains the essence of quaintness and serenity a couple of blocks away from the bustling I-45.  The streets were blocked to traffic, allowing people to walk in the streets without fear of getting plowed down.  The Wine Fest highlighted the square; booths of wine dotted various streets instead of being focused in one spot.  We were forced to walked throughout the entire area to find all the wineries, but we had no complaints.  We popped into various specialty stores: a bead store, an Italian market, a corset shop, an Asian antique store, etc.  They all welcomed us with our wine and treated us warmly.  We also tasted typical fair food: fried oreos, curly fries, and fried Reese's peanut butter cups.  Although technically they did not mix with wine, we had to try them.

The wine selection itself was a nice sample of wineries around Texas, although noticeably absent was a representative from Messina Hopf, one of my favorites.  Still, we sampled Clear Creek Wineries, Bernhardt Wineries, and many others that I can't remember (and I accidentally threw out my map... sorry!).  Bernhardt was the first I tried - a lovely cabernet - and it turned out to be my favorite (although the mead there was intriguing).  One trend I did see, and didn't quite enjoy, were the flavored wines - peach wine, chocolate cherry wine, lime wine.  I'm not a snob, but I like the flavors of natural wine without added flavors.  My friends enjoyed the flavored wine, but I'm good with a nice chianti or cabernet.

Still, the sun beating down on our backs and the mix of people casually milling about gave the afternoon an overall peaceful feeling.

Grade: A.  A jolly good time!

Today, I wandered to a local park with my camera - I'm trying to learn more about photography.  Here's a random pansy that I played with and edited.

This weekend: Wandering to a local museum, where history comes alive!

Happy wandering everyone!

All aboard!

I love to travel and have adventures. This is the inaugural post of my wanderings. Here I will give reviews, descriptions, history, details, and a bit of my sparkling personality of my adventures. I might even post photos.

Next post: Sipping Wine and Feeling Sunshine

Happy wanderings!