9.22 - Thursday - Touring Venezia

117 ISLANDS, 150 CANALS, 417 BRIDGES

And we crossed, touched or stood on half of them in our Native Style Walking tour of Venice.

"Mi scusi signore, fa questo vaporetto andare a San Marco"

"Sì, signore, ma fa diverse fermate prima."

"Non importa, mi darà un sacco di tempo per le foto lungo la strada, Grazie Mille.”

"Eccellente, godetevi il vostro tempo a Venezia."

Thats how it was supposed to go... but here’s how it really went.

“Mi scusi signore, lei parla inglese?”

“Si Signore, how can I help you?”

“Bene, is this the vaporetto to San Marco?”

“Yes it is, it makes several stops along the way”

“Great… more time for pictures, Tanta Grazie.”

“Bravo, enjoy your stay in Venezia.”

OK… so I'm still not that comfortable with my Italian, although our first dinner was conducted entirely in Italian, much to the surprise and delight of the Dragon Lady.

The exchange above actually took place near the end of our first full day in Venezia, after a much longer walking tour than originally planned… which is not entirely a bad thing.

In fact, after actually picking us up at 10AM at our hotel on Lido, and trying to get the Transport Authority to replace Chuck’s lost “Ticket to Ride” [no luck] our guide, Venetian native Nadia Danesin, an independent whose business name is A Friend In Venice http://friendinvenice.com/  went well beyond the half day we contracted for, as she literally customized our tour according to some pre-trip information from us and the fact that we don’t mind walking a lot, and away from the usual touristy things, that we can do on our own.  And at that, at the end she gave us several suggestions for things she usually charges for but we could do ourselves, not usually found in the “30 Must Things To Do In Vence” you can find on any Google search, one of which was NOT to spend a Kings Ransom for a Gondola ride.  You see just as much walking the alleys and riding a Vaporetto.  

Our tour with Nadia was mainly in the back street and less traveled but still important places that most tourists don’t see, along with great stories and background at each turn and stop.  Interesting facts like the funnel shape of

the many styles of chimney’s, designed to create a vortex to disperse the embers and sparks high above the wood rooftops of 16th century Venice to prevent fires. She took us through many Campos [small gathering squares or neighborhoods] that all had their own well, a specially designed water gathering cistern system, usually built by the wealthiest resident who made water available to every one even neighboring Campos, and Campanile.  It its heyday, there were over 6000 cisterns in Venice of which over 200 remain and over 122 continuously running fresh water fountains throughout the city where Nadia showed us how to re-fill our water bottles rather than throwing them away and buying more. In fact in 2008 the city actually tried to encourage tourists arriving in Piazzale Roma to take advantage of the city's drinking fountains by handing out empty plastic bottles and a map showing the location of the 122 fountains .

Short History time:

Founded in 421 according to legend, as a trading-post on the islands of the Rialto by three consuls from Padua, Venice is no stranger to conflict and intrigue, between being conquered  by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century and the fall of the Republic in 1797 prior to war with Napoleon it has been a Power to be reckoned with and a testament to the resilience of its hardy people.  To save time, click hereà VENEZIA for a quick look at Venetian history

After a leisurely Lunch around 430PM at the Fabulous L'ombra del Leone, near San Marco [5 stars], we bade Nadia a fond Arrividerci.  In all, our time with Nadia was wonderful, and we cant recommend her highly enough.

Now it was time to make our way back to Piazzalle Roma, to board Vaporetto #1 to follow the Audio Guided tour of the Canale Grande by Rick Steves that we downloaded for this part of our trip.  All went well till the last camera battery died at the beginning of the tour and we vowed to return Friday at the same time to repeat it with a fresh battery.

Fortunately Vaporetto #1 goes all the way to Lido so we jumped off there, changed shoes at the hotel and went looking for dinner.  Found it at Bar Maleti 4 doors down from the Hotel. Not good, in fact

Mediocre meal, Ok service, Fair Wine, no cafe.  2 ½ Stars on Uncle Chuck’s 5 star rating system.

Forgot to rate Ristorante Andri, our first nights meal [all in Italian mind you]

Good Meal [Staring fish and all] Good Wine, Great Dessert, Good Cafe, 4 Stars

Another late night penning Ciao Bella Venezia, listening to the great Tango music from across the street at TORO and a heavy crash for tomorrows run at our Audio Tour of St Marks Square, the Basilica, a trip to Murano and assorted other agenda including a reprise of the Canale Grande tour with a loaded camera.

We're a day behind due to all that has been going on and will have pictures added if not to the NOWAT, at least to our Picassa web with a link added to the side bar. 

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The tickled with all her newfound Venice facts,  Dragon Lady

Enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.23 – Friday - Venetian Saints?!?

SAN MARCO, SAN BASILIO, SAN THIS AND SAN THAT

Do Ya think they gotta lotta Saints?!?

“So today’s game plan, check the car at Avis, do Murano glass factories, tchtchoke stores & back to St Marco for the audio tours.”

“Yes, Then we can do a little shopping and repeat the Grand Canal…with a camera this time?” 

“OK, lets go, there’s Vaporetto 62 now.

“But the girl at the hotel said to take Vaporetto #52 instead of 62, supposedly less stops”

Apparently Vaporetto #52 is on a seasonal schedule and made more stops between Lido & Piazalle.Roma than #62. And…at the Santa Marta stop they make us changes boats for a 2 minute ride to the Piazalle. Roma stop which is a long trek from the regular stops.

This time we took what we thought was a short cut to get to Avis to check on the car for Saturday [because Chucky is paranoid about getting a non-smoking car] before we headed out to Murano, turns out its another Long way around.

Avis confirms our reservation but our car hasn’t come yet, [this is ONE BUSY PLACE] where Chucky is told,
"Seniore Mercurio... there are no Non-Smoking cars in Italia, be surprised for whatever you get."
Hoooh Boy… this does not leave Chucky with a warm and fuzzy, but it is, what it is.

We find the DM Vaporetto [Directo Murano] in plenty of time and settle in for the 30 minute ride to the island.  Once there, after some erroneous instructions to get off at  the wrong stop, and an aborted stop at the museum which isn’t much we found out, [even walking we make girare-u’s]  we found a Glass Factory where we taped a bit of excellent construction of a giant tortoise.  Hopefully we can get the slide show and video to work, if not it will be on our picassa web site when we can get it uploaded.

Tchotchke shopping takes less time than expected, [on Murano,"ya seen one glass shop, ya seen ‘em all"] a few trinkets for gifts [shoulda got the Christmas shopping outta the way, but there are more stops... boy are there more stops.]

Vaporetto back to San Marco uneventful and after a pics at the Bridge of Sighs [which was overwhelmed with large billboard ads for an opera on both sides, top and Bottom],

we start the St Marks Square audio tour which wasn’t bad for 45 minutes.  Taking too long for pics in the square caused us to miss entrance to St Marks Basilica as they closed 1½ hours early due to a special event.  We literally got in Line 3 minutes too late]  sooooo…
Maybe someday we'll be back for that one, but don’t count on it.

About St Marks... every picture, advertisment or movie always shows all the pigeons...soooo Dragon Chick decides she has to feed them... and freaks-out when they attack...

Then there were these 2 cute French Hotties, who decided to catch some sun... and of course Chucky had to catch it on film.  [also got their e-mail address for his 2 single sons... not that it will do any good]

More pics at bridge of Sighs [why I don’t know] - Dragon Lady helps a few couples with their pics, and we're off to find una spuntino [a Snack].  After wandering around looking at different menus, we settle on a cute little corner enoteca that had a few seats, grabbed a Panini and some Vino Rosso, 2 café’s and we were off to finish the Grand Canal tour [with camera this time] getting off at the Rialto Bridge to grab some Gondolier T’s for the Bambino’s. 

Back on Vapporetto #1 to finish the Audio Tour, more pics and the sun was getting ready to set, so we decided to stay on ‘till Lido and get an early dinner.  W R O NG!!!

At the Giardini stop, we decided to jump off and take a quick tour of the Garden, but it got dark too quick to really see all the art displayed.  Then we heard church bells… lots and Lots of church bells, so we wandered a gravel road and stumbled on Campo Garibaldi, a " So Que Cute" little square with loads of locals standing around enjoying Happy Hour, with the kids playing around them, the fruit stores just closing up, all so carefree and beautiful.  Also one of the narrowest streets we've seen yet since the one in Toledo, Spain, “Calle Streta de Ca’ Sarasina” [Ca’ is short for Casa… there are lot of Ca’s all over Venice since they couldn’t be called Palace’s]

We found our way back to the Vaporetto stop and headed back to Lido, for a later dinner than planned at Ristorante Roxy, right next door to Hotel Cristallo.

Food Good, Wine Better, Staff Excellent, [even though they misunderstood and brought both Antipasto and Pizze {that’s how they spell it} at the same time.  4 Stars. 

Dragon LadyNote:  "The Best Damn Pizze" I've ever had, no worry about thin crust, thick crust, original, extra crispy… Whatever.  Just a Great hand tossed well cheesed loaded pizze.

An attempt to pen this NOWAT Friday night, but Chucky was fragged and it was actually written on the way to Lake Garda.

Stay tuned for Ciao and Arivaderci Venezia tomorrow as we head to Lake Garda for some R&R from all this walking and boat rides…
Then again… who knows what will really happen with the Wacky American Tourist and the Ever Lovely Illy, but you can expect a lot of girare-u’s for sure.

 Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The boat weary – still rolling & wobbling,  Dragon Lady

Finally enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.24 - Saturday - Arrivederci Venezia

ARRIVEDERCI VENEZIA!!

9:30AM and Packing Ballet II is underway, not as hectic as before, but we’re running late and need to get breakfast before it closes and get off the Island. Chucky heads down to snag croissants, fruit juice and some coffee while DL tries to organize her stuff.  There is a soft knock at the door of room 23:

“Rooomm Sorbis, Missus!”

“Alright Smart ass… you're not in Miami, whatcha got?”

We wolf down the pastry, zip up the bags, one last email and direction check and we check out of Hotel Cristallo.  In all Nice spot, nice folks, good stay. 

Making the long haul to the Vaporetto  we spot VAP#62 at the dock so the race is on.  And of course its after 10AM and Chucky’s 48 hr transit card has expired so DL double swipes hers and we race to catch the boat just before it pulls out, dodging cruise ships coming and going from the Port of Venice, then zip across the Canale Grande and up the Giudecca canal to the back door of Ple. Roma and another long haul to the Avis desk.
Quick service and the surprise car… [Not the Alpha Romeo upgrade we hoped for] Nawww...its a bloody Ford Focus?!?  The nice delivery dude leaves it parked in the middle of the street with cars whizzing past all sides, so we quickly load the bags, and haul ass out of Ple Roma… or almost:

“Don’t turn here!”

“Yes I do!” –

“No… no… no go this way!”  

“Ya see… it’s the wrong way, this is a parking lot”

“Yes, but this is how you get back into the street.”

Not really but we finally hit the round about and over the bridge with a short stop at a rest area to rearrange luggage, maps, water, grab the lap top to start this note and we’re on the road.

A4 Autostrada Milano-Padova was smooth sailing, until we hit various pockets of road work 80K into our trip to Desenzano de la Garda.  At one point we had to use the emergency lane while Illy was trying to take pictures out of the window of vineyards.

Leaving the autostrada at the Desenzano exit we promptly get lost – Navigator Illy claims directions go this way, not that way…. And some how we cant find Vialle G. Marconi, or as DL calls it Macaroni, one girare-u follows another.

“I’m going back the way we came.” Chucky decides and after several girare-u’s including one in the middle of the street  - “ahhh there’s a sign marked  Desenzano…and we promptly get lost again!  Following his nose with one eye for the lake and another looking for familiar road signs [he has driven this route several times using goggle maps] we find Vialle Marconi & promptly head AWAY from La Garda towards Verona.  Time for another girare-u, and Chucky spots Vialle Grimsci which takes him to Lungolago Cesare Battisti and in his best Italian announces “e proprio li” – There it is - Hotel Aurora!

The delightful desk agent Marco, directs us into the tiny parking lot and 3 tries later we nestle the car into a very tight little spot & check in to room 102 [one of only 2 rooms that has a real balcony overlooking the lake- through the trees.  The room is adequate, nothing special but clean – and minimally “decorated”.

After settling in, we decide its time to go exploring before dinner and ask Marco for directions to Sirmione, a medieval walled city at the end of the Sirmio peninsula at the Southern end of Lake Garda, a World Heritage  Site with a grand castle.   Directions went something like this:

Prendere questa strada attraverso la rotonda, andare 12 km e girare a sinistra a Sirmione, parco vicino al castello e ci siete.   With directions like these… how could navigator Illy possibly go wrong????  3 girare-u’s later, we find our goal.

Entrance is free today and we wander around marveling at how they engineered this and that back then.  Then time to climb the verrrryyyy high stairs to the battlements that led to the ‘verrrrryyyyyy tall tower, and those that know Dragon Chic well will understand when her acrophobia kicks in and she freezes 2 landings from the top.  She insists that Chucky push on and take pics from the top, which he did, trying to spot her on the landing, but by now she was clinging to a corner as curious tourists pass her by.  Chucky walks her down slowly and after a stroll through the quaint and very “Que Cute” Centro Storico [historic Center] we spot swans and dogs frolicking in the lake and stop for more cute animal pics which include the “Pink [and blue] Snails”  a traveling art project, originally created by Galleria Ca’ D’Oro of Rome for Art Basel in Miami.  the Snails have invaded major cities around the world including Rome, Miami, Milan and now the beach and castle of Sirmione.

The way back to the hotel is much easier, with a stop at a local market for a case of water, Sharp cheese, newspaper thin Prosciutto, a loaf of crusty bread and some Local Wine. Chucky finds a local thrift shop and haggles a good price for a couple of wine glasses for  “Una Piccolo Spuntino” on our balcony at sunset that turned into dinner.

An early stroll around the area took us through central  Desenzano where we found a plethora of Bicycle related booths and exhibits all over.  Curious Hunh… Oh well must be a convention of some sort.  A quick gelato and a  late night finishes Friday’s NOWAT, and we crash for an early start tomorrow for Verona.

More Tomorrow… with a surprise wake up call…

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The totally frustrated with Google map directions, Dragon Lady

Slurping Fine Tuscan Wine, munching Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.25 - Sunday Part I - Verona

“...IN FAIR VERONA WHERE WE LAY OUR SCENE...”

                                                                             ~Wm. Shakespeare ~

“WeeeWaaa… WeeeWaaa…WeeeWaaa… WeeeWaaa”

“Attenzione…attenzione…questa strada e chiusa...”

“WeeeWaaa… WeeeWaaa…WeeeWaaa”

"Attenzione… questa stada e chiusa!”

“W T F!!!!!’

A very groggy Chucky springs from the cozy bed in Hotel Aurora, stubbing his toe opening the balcony door only to find police cars cruising by, lights flashing, sirens and loudspeakers blaring… and then, as if by magic, hundreds of cyclists come rushing down the now closed lakeside street of Lungolago Cesare Battisi; it takes a full 5 minutes for all the riders to pass, followed by chase cars with spare parts, ambulances for picking up broken parts and the last polizia with flashing lights-reopening the road.

Yeah… now THAT explains all those bicycle related exhibits and booths in the middle of Desenzano last night. Known as the South Garda Road, this was the Final Race of the Long Distance Road Championship where riders choose one of two courses that can run as long as 126 km, at altitudes up to 1144 meters [3753 feet].   Ok…Time for breakfast.

Dragon Lady decides to grab a quick shower… we'll maybe not so quick, the shower is so small, that maneuvering is difficult, it was all she could do to spin like a top, barely able to reach around to wash her back without knocking the water controls on and off.

Downstairs, the Front desk at Hotel Aurora doubles as a bar [liquor or coffee] serving as centerpiece for a typical Italian B&B style continental breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt, prosciutto, Salami, pepperoni, cheeses, croissants, pastries etc and after a leisurely collazione we finish packing and head out for Verona. 

Welllll, almost… Letting her frustrations with Google directions be known loud and clear, Navigator Illy manages to direct us onto and off the Autostrada to Verona without much incident or girare-u’s;  maneuvering us around Verona to find the Parcheggio Piazza Isolo is another thing.  While it only took 3 girare-u’s, we did get to see some interesting parts of Verona’s industrial section, not originally on our agenda.

“Ok, where is this underground parking you speak of, I don’t see it?”

“Because its underground… and we just passed, it”

“And you didn’t turn in?”

“See the sign à Senso Unico = One Way… we have to go up here and come back around.”

“You missed the turn, go here…wait no there…ooofff…eeekkk… watch the bicycle!!!’

[The oooofffing & eeeeking has started again since exiting in Desenzano; {remember NOWAT-Italia2001?} expect it for the rest of the trip - here after abbreviated as “O…O…E…E…”]

Several turns later, we glide down the ramp finding a spot next to the exit stairs, and head out to find our first stop, Casa di Giulietta. 

We'll almost… DL notices we forgot the spare camera battery when she changed travel bags so Chucky hot foots it back down and up and NOW we’re off.

Finding Giulietta’s house was easy enough with the cut and paste map Chucky made from Google Maps. Then the requisite pics of the kids and the Dragon Lady leaving their names or “Notes to Giuletta”, on the wall adding to the graffiti and of course Chucky and the Dragon Lady clutching Giuletta’s right boob to ensure everlasting love [not that we ever needed the help, but every little bit… etc.]

Next stop…
“Ooopsssss, watch that next step!” [She’s tripping all over Italy]

Piazza Erbe, a large ornate Plaza in the heart of the centro storico, where we find another festival going on… “il Festival Internazionale dei giochi di strada” or Street games festival, featuring jugglers, dancers, musicians, stret artists doing their thing.  There's also organized children’s games as the piazza is filled with tourists and locals alike, mom, dad, kids, Grandparents, and... OK… LOTS of people doing lots ‘n’ lots of stuff.  Hey, that’s what these piazzas are for!

Dante

At the Piazza Dei Signori we find the "Mondo di Informazioni Turistiche" International Tourist Convention where information booths from around the world [Iran, Germany, Japan, etc] surround this smaller lovely little piazza whose main feature is a statue of Dante Alighieri, Poet, Scholar and Author of the “Divine Comedy”, who is credited with creating the Italian language, and purported to promote Unification of the City states. Several centuries later Italians celebrate The Unifications 150^th anniversary this year.

“Oh lets go this way, there is something “Que Cute” down there!”, as we stumble on the church of Santa Maria Antica built as the private chapel of the Scala family whose cemetery and 2 very elaborate elevated tombs is built on the side.

Now the long Trek to CastelVecchio, along the river, which is now an elaborate Museum and gardens with lots of Pre & Post Renaissance Art, etc, and lots ‘n’ lots of steps, stairs and scary [for the acrophobic Dragon Lady] narrow battlement walk ways.[Remember Blue Type signals Links to details]

'Cent Anni from Verona

On the way back to the car we stop for una piccolo spuntino, some wine and the requisite photo op before moving on past the very large open Piazza Bra adjacent to the Arena.  The restored Roman era Colloseo now hosts concerts, operas and other noted events featuring globally recognized artists…

It is also where a very tall and elaborately adorned Roman Centurion accosted DL for pictures.  They always find her.

At the Ponte Nuovo we spot hundreds of padlocks strung on wires across the river. A few years ago an italian romance movie started this tradition.  The couple in the movie pledged their undying love to each by locking a padlock to a bridge, then throwing the key into the water.  (Cue the orchestral crescendo and whip out the hankies!)

A short walk puts us back at Piazza Isolo parcheggio.  After paying to exit, we stay too long studying maps and directions, get stopped at the uscita, and Chucky has to back up, park, and go pay more to get out.

More girare-u’s [“damn Google Directions”] looking for the Autostrada A4 for Modena/Milano/Bologna - always a fun experience… since Italian street signage is sometime sketchy, sometime pretty good… but Google Maps is unaware of construction.  Chucky needed to ‘improvise’ as usual – 

DRAGON LADY NOTE:  But that’s a good thing. He religiously studied Google Maps of Italy before we left the USA, closely following street views of directions to and from our destinations, he has excellent recall and it’s paying off.

We'll continue with our trip to Montale and Agriturismo Il Pianaccio in the next NOWAT, this has already gotten too long.

Stay tuned for Mrs Toads Wild Ride… Up the “Scary” mountain road.

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The Totally in Love with Verona, 
Dragon Lady

Sipping Fine Tuscan Wine, munching Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.25 - Sunday Part II- Ciao Pianaccio

A QUAINT VILLA ON A HILLTOP IN TUSCANY

  

“Where the hell are you going?”

“Don’t worry… its scarier looking than oooops, 2^nd gear…”

“Yeah… you better watch it buddy…“O…O…E…E…” watch that curve!”

“Chill babe… I've been up and down this road a hundred times [on Google].”

“Yeah… in your dreams…“O…O…E…E… Down Shift…Down Shift!”

So started our first nighttime ascent up the veerrryyy steeeeepppp and loooonnnng and wiiiinnnding road to Il Pianaccio, but first a word about the trip from Verona

Long, Dark, Fast, and Winding, [OK 5 words] not to mention the wet roads from the rain.  Apparently a real gully washer and one I'm glad that we miraculously missed or going up the veeeerrryyy.  [Ok-]  road to Il Pianaccio a lot more treacherous.

First there was the most interesting entrance into Montale from Autostrada A11, orchestrated by non other than the Google Map hating Dragon Lady.  Can you say a serious lot of girare-u’s???  and don’t even mention Vialle Giusseppe Garibaldi to her for fear of  incurring her wrath.
She swears “Giardelli…Gibralter...or Giralda” [as she has taken to calling him] DOES NOT EXIST.  Google Directions not withstanding, Chucky’s “daylight” recollections of the route are useless in the dark,  they must have  passed , gone round and round and round the same 3 rotundas more times than they can remember, until Chucky finally spots a familiar [yeah… right] landmark and the sign for…  you guessed it… G. Garibaldi [in very small print] in the center of the first circle.

“Now I know where we are… sorta,” he declares as he pulls up to a local and asks:

“Signore, per favore… questa strada e Vialle Martiri della Liberta, e la direcione a Fratelli Masini?”

“Si, Si Si prendere sempre dritto, a la secundo semaforo, gira destra?”

“Got It!... Grazie Mille, - We go to the 2nd Semaforo [traffic light] and turn right....  Ahhh yes… I know this street… I've been her many times…”

“I'll bet you have… NOT…  Damn…. Your giving me whip lash with this stalling out… get it in 1^st gear, not 3^rd!!!”

Chucky is having a little difficulty in finding 1^st gear periodically [Curse you Henry Ford and your off center 5 speed diesel shifter in this roller skate of a car] resulting in an irate whiplashed Dragon Lady.

Maneuvering the narrow lane of  Fratelli Masini which becomes Via XX Settembre which becomes via Maone e Casselo, which finally leads to the loooonnnng and wiiiiindng… [yeaah – Ok] – Road up the hill and the opening dialogue.

And boy was it loooonnggg and steeeeppp and  OK… OK…. And very dark, and very wet, and very gravelly road “O…O…E…E…” making traction in the roller skate Ford Focus, a true joy. At the turn into the last alley up to the Agriturismo, Chucky down shits to 3^rd again instead of 1^st promptly stalling out on a particularly steep stretch but recovers and blows past the narrow and steep entrance to Il Pianaccio.  He lets the car glide backwards preparing for a run at the VEEEEERRRRY, really, Veeeerrryyyy steeeeppppp entrance, where 2^nd gear doesn’t get it and… stalls out…. “O…O…E…E…”.  now he's pissed.  Gliding back and revving the engine, he shoves it in 1^st and launches up the entrance and blows past the parking ramp having to back up and find… you guessed it… another steep and narrow… gravel ramp down.  Finding a parking spot under the terrace, he backs in without too much issue, shuts the roller skate down and

“wheeewwwww, I'm  certainly glad that’s over.”

Since we had called ahead to alert the Giannuzzi’s that we would be there for dinner and it was already 9:30pm, we left the stuff in the car, grabbed the camera case and some water, and climbed the dark stairs to the top, where, after trying to take a picture of the Drop Dead Gorgeous View from the terrace, Dragon Chic does another almost slip and fall, and we stumble into the lovely Agriturismo Il Pianaccio to be greeted by Signore Benito Giannuzzi the proprietor himself, who knows exactly who we are and directs us to a waiting table, with a giant bottle of their very own Sangiovese wine.
We slump into our chairs for a most delightful meal, actually too much food. They really do the whole thing here; Antipasto, a large plate of bruschetta with fresh picked pomodoro, crostinis with ham and cream cheese, Crostini with boars liver pate, fried zucchini, croquettes of “Something”, more bread, then comes the Prima Piato of Ravioli ala spinachi, then the secondo Piato of tagliatelle with Wild Boar Ragu, followed by an entree of Mixed Grill of Short Rib, Corniglio [Rabbit – but she didn’t know it] and sliced pork.  Then came Tiramisu for desert along with some Vino Santo followed by a delightful Grappa and fresh brewed Café.  Waaaayyyy too much food, but outstanding.  These people CAN COOK!!!

After meeting our friend Alessio’s mother, Sylvana who is the Chef and REAL BOSS here, and younger brother Cristiano who served dinner and who also handles the family winery and Olive presses, we get our key, drag the bagaglio up the dark, steep, stairs to the terrace, then up the house stairs to the first room on the left, with an even more Drop Dead Gorgeous View of Monatale below, Agliana in the distance beneath the hills surrounding Firenze, with Prato to the left and  Santomato & Pistoia to the right. 

The room is spacious, and delightfully decorated with a large armoire, and an equally spacious private bath with the cutest glass enclosed corner shower and wonderful ancient custom carved marble sink on a wrought iron stand and antique [Really] brass faucets and treatments.  The vanity mirror light is a bit too soft but Hey… waaayyy too “Que Cute”.

After a refreshing shower, and with the wireless down for the night, we get a chance to pen this NOWAT and promptly crash as we have an early day tomorrow.

More to come as the Dragon Lady mounts her first Bicycle in ages to circle the Noble Walled City of Lucca.

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The whiplashed, but oh so happy to be here,  Dragon Lady

 Enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.26 - Monday Part I - Lucca

AROUND THE WALL ONE MORE TIME TIZIANA

Monday 26 Sept is the Official Girare-U Day in Lucca.  

Seriously, if you don’t make at least 4 girare-u’s while trying to find the tourist office in Piazza Santa Maria, and don’t stop at least 4 people to ask directions, who have absolutely no idea of what your talking about, and if you don’t miss the turn to Porta Santa  Maria at least twice, then you missed participating in the Official Girare-U day... and you are also NOT the Wacky American Tourist and the Ever Lovely Dragon Lady.

This was just the midway point of our day trip to Lucca.  The morning started off a bit late as Chucky pulled another all-nighter doing NOWATS, and DL refused to roll out when the alarm went off, but otherwise… breakfast at Il Pianaccio was still pretty neat.

Instead of the patio as we expected, we had our croissants, yogurt, strudel etc indoors… it was a bit windy out this morning, but the view was still Drop Dead Gorgeous. and after dawdling with other new guests, a couple from Amsterdam, we realized we had used up our travel F.U.F allowance [F#%k Up Factor] which insured there would be an inordinate amount of girare-u’s because we had a 10AM meet with our guide and  you know what that means: The First rule of Murphy’s. If anything could possibly go wrong, at the worst possible moment, it will.  

Soooooo, after finally getting better directions from the tour agency, we find our guide Tiziana Camaiori tizianacama@hotmail.com at the Tourist info Office, 1 hour late, and of course, they have just this morning booked another tour for her right behind us, so we can’t run overtime. She assures us that since we are doing the tour on bikes, we can easely do the tour in 2 hours. Sooooo we pick out a couple of bikes, get a couple of locks because, loose bikes are a  real commodity in these parts, and as Chucky finds his seat un-adjustable and changes bikes, he promptly leaves his lock on the first bike and doesn’t notice it until they need to use it… on the other side of town.  Oh welllllll.

Tiziana was excellent.  A proud native of Pisa, she does tours in 3 languages, in Firenze, Lucca And Pisa.  And started with the fact that Lucca had been the second largest Italian city state (after Venice) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.  Our tour started us off riding along the wall, a shaded path all the way around Lucca.  more on that later.

First stop was Palazo Pfanner  which dates back to 1660 and the Moriconi family, members of the Lucca merchant nobility.  Bankruptcy in 1680 forced the Moriconi family to sell the building to the Controni family, silk merchants.  Due to its outstanding architectural features it has been used as a location for several films.  click the link à  Palazo Pfanner  for more a info on the Palazo

We then heard about the wall and its part in protecting Lucca during various city state wars and the design allowing for the ultimate defense.  Clickà [http://www.knowital.com/html/lucca_-_the_town_walls.html ]

Lucida's Pond

Next up was the Botanical Garden and the story of the countess Lucida Mansi who sold her soul to the devil in order to keep her youthful appearance, when devil came to claim her soul, she ran all through Lucca in a chariot which crashed into the pond in the garden, and her face purportedly appears in the pond on the night of the full moon. Clickà http://tuscany.travel/en/art-history-culture/legends-and-misteries/lucida-mansi-from-lucca/

In 1805, Lucca was conquered by Napoleon, who installed his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi  as  "Queen of Etruria". An ardent philanthropist she is revered to this day in Lucca

Then we were off to several Cathedrals [rocks ruins and temples as usual] including San Martino Cathedral which houses the Volto Santo di Lucca– The Holy Face of Lucca. click the links for quite a story.  Also note that the cathedrals  upper facades pillars are all different, the people of Lucca held a contest for masons to design the columns, they liked the samples so much, they kept them all. Before concluding our tour Tziana gave us  directions on several things we could do on our own and she was ready to meet her group of 20.

We happily returned our bikes [aching butts and all], found the missing lock just where Chucky left it and

bidding Tiziana farewell, we decided instead to find a free wireless hotspot to post Ciao Venezia, used up our allotted 1 hour in 24 and headed off to find something to do, in Viareggio on the coast… Tuscany’s Beach.

We'll cover Viaraggio in the next installment, but for now, just click the links for more about Lucca.

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The still mighty sore from the bike ride ,  Dragon Lady

Finally enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

9.26 - Monday Part II - Viareggio

ROUND & ROUND & ROUND VIAREGGIO

“I think you turn left here, no wait that’s not Via Antonio Fratti, try that way… no wait, that’s not it.”

“OK let me see that thing, yep this aint the way, I’m going back to the circle and we will try this one more time. Opps there’s the road, we turn right here.”

“I … don’t… think…so...”

“OK we will try this way…Hey… there’s A. Mazzini, the parcheggio can’t be far - its along here somewhere…”

And so the girare-u adventures continue. This time in Viareggio. Our primary purpose for visiting this seaside town often referred to as “Tuscany’s Beach” was to visit a restaurant famous for his fish “Da Giorgio” on Alessio’s recommendation and of course Chucky plotted directions to both Da Giorgio & what has now become an elusive parking lot a short walk away. We have just spent 30 minutes going round and round Viareggio looking for the parcheggio. Dragon Chic is starting to get frustrated & so is Chucky who pulls over into an available parking spot to pull out the directions & decides they are lost and declares, “I’m heading for the water, I know I will find something there”

Now we are trying to find Vialle G. Marconi,  more girare-u’s   so he pulls over to another parking spot..”maybe we will just park here” still trying to decide where Da Giorgio is and how close we are.

“No I don’t like this place, lets go and find something else.” We find Marconi [he was never really lost, we were] & slip into a parking spot across from the Grand Hotel Viareggio and he heads off to ask directions. 10 minutes later he is back in the car,

“They have no idea where I am talking about” and “I don’t like this parking spot, there are too many kids around”  So we pull out and head for some more girare-u’s . Chucky decides it is time to call Da Giorgio’s to make a reservation since he forgot to while in Lucca.  The earliest availability is after 8PM and they don’t OPEN until 8pm. This is too late as it would put us on the road to Il Pianaccio after 10:30PM for a 1 ½ hour drive.  Chucky doesn’t feel like driving that dark, rough road up the hill at midnight.

Now what to do?

“Whadda ya wanna do/”

“I dunno, whadda you wanna do?”

“Ok…. Lets not get all Abbot and Costello here, lets just park the damn car and walk ,I am sure we can find something somewhere to grab a bite.”

3 parking spaces later, Chucky finally finds a spot on Via Zanardelli right next the shopping promenade Antoinio Fratti, right down the street from guess who…Da Giorgio.  His obsession with finding this bloody joint leads him to wander down the street and confirms that Da Giorgio is on the next corner & they are closed.  [Stubborn little Italian man!!!] BTW, DL is typing this as he dictates on the way to Castello Verrazzano Tuesday.

Now with a string tchotchke stores at hand DL is on a mission to find Tchotchkies for the kids & Henry’s birthday but the flea market & pedestrian only shopping [a la Lincoln mall on MB] nets nothing to her liking and now with all the chatter about Da Giorgio decides she is hungry.  On the way to the car she spots a baby who is becoming more & more agitated because her Nonna won’t let her walk by herself. DL, ever the sucker for a crying baby, proceeds to conduct her very first conversation in Italian, or so she thinks, with the Nonno who somehow manages to understand her. And they chatted away like old buddies all the while DL is calming the baby. She convinces Nonna to let the baby walk by herself [independent little critter] & all is well in the universe.  

As we wander back to the car she stops dead in her tracks having spotted non other than a VERY familiar black and yellow book, thrown on a doorstep.  Can you guess what it is?  She swears it follows her everywhere.   

Chucky is out of coins for the parking meter so we head back to G. Marconi where he knows at least one of the gelato shops will slip him enough coins to pay for the parking meter. They are just like the ones back home, you drop in the coins & you get a time stamped ticket for the dash board.

The ever hungry Illy has decided that the area reminds her of Fisherman’s Warf in SFO & she is expecting to find quaint restaurants out by the water or long piers but soon finds nothing but a 10K stretch of beach clubs. Hence Tuscany’s Beach.  Ok, time to wander through one of the clubs, out onto the sand & down to the surf for some great pics & the cool fresh sea air. The beach was full of colorful umbrellas & miles of chaise lounges for as far as the eye can see up & down the beach with the back drop of the mountains & beachside hotels it was spectacular.  We decide its really time find some place to eat and after walking up the pedestrian promenade of G. Marconi, we ask a nice lady in a book store to recommend something, and she sends us all the way to the end for Tito Del Molo.  A 5 block trek to the end of the promenade nets another ZERO…Tito doesn’t open  till 7:30… looks like all the good spots open late… so we settle on a small Bar/Ristorante near where we parked for a meal so unmemorable that we cant remember the name, thus it gets a neutral 2.5 stars.

Not much else to see in Viareggio so we girare-u our way back to the Autostrada and head home to Il Pianaccio.

Tomorrow, Siena, Castello Verrazzano winery and who knows what else… maybe San Gimignano, maybe not.

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The tired of the Parcheggio shuffle in Viareggio, Dragon Lady

Ready for more Fine Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread