Hi guys, we made it through to Italy on the car ferry. I give Woolif and Miss Monerpenny (the lady on the gps) the credit for some pretty tricky navigation, but getting a car on and off a ferry in Croatia/Italy kind of takes the cake for me. Or is the “takes the biscotti” now, because I am no longer seeing cakes. They have been replaced with popular little balls of semi baked biscuit dough.
Day 1. We drove from the ferry drop off in Ancona, to Florence. And speaking of drop off, I dropped off myself between Ancona and Bologne. But I still was awake enough to see that the Northern Italian countryside is very beautiful, and not too unlike Austria.
Out apartment in Florence is pretty amazing, but we haven’t had time to settle in to it yet. It’s in Florence, so it was bound to be old.
Anyhow. Now we sit, relaxing in an inexpensive, lively little diner in Florence, fed and watered and ready to explore the old town.
I spent 6 months living in Rome when I was in my late teens.
I love the Italians, their language and their food.
Enjoy.
The apartments is mindblowing….
Check out this HomeAway rental:
https://t.hmwy.io/JdRxim5iFY
Until you move in and make it normal.
Today I had a budino di riso. It looked simple but was delicious.
It would be one I would like to try and make.
Appafently it’s a Florentine breakfast treat.
Those look delicious. Your entire vacation is absolutely amazing. How many countries are left to visit?
Smythe, it has been adventure, but has run smoothly all things considered.
After Florence we go to a place called Grèze, near Porto Venere, the Santa Marguarita , near Portofino. A week each place. Then we drive to Nice, and have two weeks there, then an overnight in Carcasonne, a week in Salat lé Canéda, another week in Paris and return the car, then fly home. 3 and 1/2 months.
I have at times been homesick for family and dogs, but am still enjoying it. It’s a whirlwind to think back on it. Prague was a highlight. I loved returning to Colmar and all the beautiful Alcase. I think I will enjoy Italy. Dubrovnik was good but I wouldn’t recommend Split in Croatia, nor Strasbourg. Not when there are so many better places. And Split was shabby.
Here’s another pic of our place in Florence.
Yep. I recommend Florence.
A bit rough.
Now, that’s what I call a dickhead.
😂😂😂😂 Not sure what it’s saying.
“Do you hang out here often?”
😂😂😂 It’s Florence. There are dangly bits everywhere.
^ They should put *that* on the tourist brochures.
Enjoying a walk by the river in Florence. I am loving it here.
I recommend it. We have seen some wonderful art, some with clothes on.
Stunning. And we didn’t have to go on the tourist trail.
What can you say to this?
3 1/2 months of an amazing journey. How did you decide where to go?
Smythe, firstly it’s Paris because that’s where Woolif likes this deal on the car, and we like Paris. I had loved the Alcase last time so I was happy to go to Colmar again, we thought Strasbourg might be good. But I had seen Prague on the Bachelorette and I thought it looked beautiful. It was. I had seen pictures of Croatia. As for Italy, last time we did 3 months in France, and a few days in Venice, so we just felt we should expand this time.
I recommend Prague, Colmar and (if you don’t mind the steps) Dubrovnik.
Typing on my phone in bumpy car. I can hardly see the screen.
Smythe, I guess information.on where to go was based on word of mouth, pictures and hunches.
Italian cakes.
I chose budino and baba au rum. Mmmmmmmmm.
I would come back so fat. Wait, wait … I did.
Baba au rum is not my thing. I would have picked the sfogliatella. I love crispy pastry.
It’s hard. I brought a tape measure because you never see scales. I’ve had a binge and now I have to have self control. I am adamant about keeping the weight off. Luckily we have been walking up to 20kms per day.
We have been eating too much.
Hey, Bobi. We are having a fight in the car. To be continued………
I am holding my breathe ….
Okay, so we find it difficult sometimes to be on the same page, so we agreed to take turns.. Today’ was my turn and I chose a drive to San. Gimigliano (or something like that) but we wind up in Popi and Siena, with excuses. It’s the excuses that make me mad. They are lies in his own head.. How is this San G
I thought I should add the fighs.
I know. I know. I can hear you say, you lucky devil for going but this is a pattern thing. And it’s annoying.
In the end we both just moved on and enjoyed Cortona.
“But you said we we going to San G”….
Anyhow, it’s love,y everywhere.
It’s more fun when I add the dramas. Tuscanny is beautiful in any direction.
Not meaning to be Judgy McJudgeface, but aren’t you glad “someone” – and I’m not taking sides here – took a wrong turn? Wherever you ended up looks spectacular.
It’s the often the unexpected that gets remembered as the best part of the trip.
Like I said, and I don’t blame you for thinking me terrible, but as I said, it’s a pattern thing. It was meant to be Dan G, but he sneakily put it last. It wasn’t an accident. He put it on the end,and headed in another directions, sneaking his own agenda first. I could say I should just be grateful we drove to Sienna instead, but I put last. I knew we would never make San G, because he had put in Popi and Siena instead. You can look at it like, just be grateful, or you can say, “Why does he keep making it what he wants to do. He’s good at that. I usually go whatever, which is probably why, but yesterday I got, Mama Mia Mad.
Like I said…it was about the pattern.
Eh, “You can choose where to eat….as long as it’s here”. But I thought we have done well for complete opposites. I think that was our first big blow up, just to remind him that I’m not luggage.
I’m the one who likes the accidental places. Woolif is strictly by the book. It’s our main tug of war on trips. I want to wander and just happen upon. He reads where to go. He doesn’t like to just roam. He has all the museum’s and art galleries listed…and excursion notes. The good side of that is that we see things we wouldn’t see if it was on my planning. I find the ordinary things intetesting.
But don’t worry, Bobi, I know I am fortunate just to be here. Very lucky.
And now off to the Ufizi. A world famous museum. Also Woolif’s pick. I don’t enjoy seeing the things out of their place. You know, some icon in a sterile building. I know they need to be rescued but I prefer seeing things in their home. Never the less, there are amazing works stuck on white chip board.
He didn’t take “a wrong turn”. He was sneaky.
No more fights now until. France. 😁
But that’s why I chose the picture of the child saying, ,”It was supposed to be my turn”.
I guess you had to be there. 😁
I get all that. I have a SiL whose a juggernaut. Just don’t get in her way when she organises something.
But the other side of this is that I casually mentioned that I wouldn’t mind seeing a certain 2 day show in Melbourne (rhymes with Barry Trotter), and next thing you know, tickets are bought, accommodation booked, airline tickets purchased, taxis to and fro organised and I am being presented with a bill.
I could be disturbed at the lack of consultation and sudden change to my life, or I could relax into the inevitable.
I must admit that it has taken 30 years to get used to but now I just appreciate that I am out of the house and busy. No point in complaining. She isn’t going to change and there are more benefits than not for me.
Yes, and all that too. 😁
Good cat.
Siena is beautiful. 🙂 Tuscany in general is such a wonderful area. Okay, I have to admit, most of the time we were drunk, but it was normal as we were all around 18 and when we do those trips, it is right before graduation, so we celebrate during that week. Our school still calls it “study/educational trip”, well, it was certainly educational in a way of “How many wine bottles fit into a a small Eastpak backpack?”, “Which wine will give us the least headache?”, “How many spaghetti can you eat within 5 minutes?”, “How many Italian guys will hit on the hottest girl of our class?”. We got answers to everything!
We went to a gallery this afternoon. It was crowded. An art buffet. There was a lot of this…
A real “buff”et, then.
Some of this….
You missed the artist called “Pricasso” on Australia’s Got Talent btw. Google him when you get the chance. Paints portraits with his you know what. (see above)
Was he any good? At least he is being original but the turps has got to smart.
I will google now…but I’m holding you accountable if that yoogle leads me down some dark alleys.
It’s very hard to make it in the competitive world of art so he has a hook.
I wonder if he does kitchens.
I did google him but I didn’t see, how does he prime his brush?
But mostly a whole lot of this….
I don’t understand the need to get that close to take a photo of a painting. Does she not know that she could get a postcard of better quality?
Or buy a book, with words, that would give her the history as well?
Much more fun to sit back and enjoy.
Absolutely. That’s what ai tell Woolif. Plus, “Hello. Zoom lens anyone”. I wish I had taken more shots….of the back of people’s heads. This pic was a good one. Usuall it was twenty people doing that.
People thought because I love art, I would love that, but honestly, a lot of the paintings and sculptings are the same, and it’s not enjoyable with the hoards. It ‘s art buffet. I would prefer to see about 10 good pieces…alone.
I like making art.
You can do my, “You people know nothing about art”, cat. 😁
When I take the girls to the Gallery, we only look at 2 or three paintings so they can learn to appreciate the talent.
I wish I could have video-ed them singing “David Hockney, David Hockney” around the top floor.
I, too, like making art. It’s not to everyone’s taste but it’s fun for me. I attach a self-portrait because I’m not game enough to attach a real picture (shout-out to Daisy and Windsong).
Self photos are easy Bobi. You just take 20 and discard 19. 😗
Wait, Bobi, is that really a self portrait? Can you paint like that???
Sometimes. Like a selfie, I paint 20 and discard 19.
It’s real hit and miss.
I might put up a shocker at some point.
Whoops. Here ‘tis.
Serves me right for hesitating.
It’s excellent. You are very talented.
We should see more.
That photo says a thousand words…..most of them unprintable.
At least the girl isn’t taking a selifie in front of the priceless art work. I bet people do that, daisy. (not you, of course)
I didn’t mention the girls pouting and posing to their phone in front of the Botticelli. That earned them a contemptuous eye roll from me.
On the way out I said to Woolif, “You can’t be an art lover for a day”.
Even Woolif was suddenly being deep and informative on Raphael. 😂😂😂
I posted the guys in the raw tor Windsong. And the teeny tiny willies for all the men out there.
Thankyou. So I’m not alone and I’m not being looney or pretentious to say I don’t want to see 1 000 paintings in an hour, with crowds of tour groups. It does feel like rushing to a buffet and loading your plate, rather than ordering one good dish from the menu. Quality v quantity.
I have also discovered and tried to convince Woolif that an experience, be it whatever, is nicer and more memorable when you put away the camera and just take it in.
Anyhow, today no one puts baby in the corner (dare they?) and we went to San Gimignano, then to Volterra.
Some shady characters there. Boom boom.
Speaking of shady characters, Woolif has had to step back from getting in some my pics. He was looking like Alfred Hitchcock.
My dinner tonight was flan, pepper something, bacon and scallops. And it was very nice. Woolif’s risotto was too runny….and I know this how.
And dessert was white chocolate mousse that some ice-cream that wasn’t quite set…called “freddy”. 😜
Moving on. You haven’t been to Pisa….
Unless you have done this…
Oh, it’s just so cliche, really, isn’t it? That line up, is that the line to actually get into the tower and climb to the top? I wouldn’t do it, I’d be way too nervous.
Haha. Woolif got ready to do it, the hands out thing and I said, “Na aa”. But then of course everyone was doing it. Yep, that joke never gets old I guess.
As for the climb, it was the steps nor the heights but the crowds that deterred us.
Here’s a little farewell to Florence. WartsnAll.
There were so many choices.
But on the other hand.
Not necessarily. I mean, if someone got divorced and remarried that same year, maybe they weren’t counted in the statistic *again*, so it screwed up the numbers.
I am trying to think about this but my mind keeps shutting down.
Well moving right along. I just thought you’d enjoy my Kardashian moment.
We’re all friends, until next yime and ws are in Grazie for the week. This is my cup of tea. Well it’s more of an Italian machiatto, but at least there is sand and sea.
The view from our window at dusk.
And my view.
Yes we are on the Cinqua Terra,
That looks more like Cinqua Terror to me.
I have some great beach shots to take home.
Folks take tissues to the beach. How quaint.
On the beach at Le Grazie.
He’s addicted to the phone and the laptop. Miss Universe could walk past and he’ll be too absorbed to notice.
La Grazie.
Hey, no child porn, daisy. This is a classy website.
La Grazie beachside.
I came across two of these on Portvenere.
I asked about the undies and they just laughed.
I suppose that meant, “What undies”.
We are in Santa Margarita now and it’s lovely, but I recommend booking immediately into a beach club for the week if you want to go swimming. It can be hard to get in, unless you pay for a very expensive one. You can use a public beach but again, that requires you to sit on rocks.
The town itself is lovely, and you can visit nearby villages such as Portofino.
Santa Margarita. I thoroughly recommend it.
We have had some sad news from home that has affected our experience.
Hugs in your direction.
Me too, Daisy, sending virtual hugs to you both.
Thankyou. But I will hang on by my fingernails and toenails and keep going. Woolif is helping.
He’s a good lad.
Sorry to hear, daisy. Best wishes.
Italian boules?
Once could be forgiven, but not every day. Yesterday he was cocking his leg.
What? No likes for Mario and his boules?
Woolif put my sunshade up so that my vision was blocked.
“What? No likes for Mario and his boules?”
Maybe about 20 to 25 years ago …
Maybe not even then. Some things are better described rather than seen.