tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61997609251166890972024-03-05T15:06:01.881-06:00What MattersI retired in 2008 after 40 years as a public librarian and I am now finding my way in the second half of my life. I never want to lose sight of "what matters."Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-12526307740765490872016-07-16T11:24:00.002-05:002016-07-20T21:48:57.174-05:00Losing Dad<div class="MsoPlainText">
It's taken me awhile to get to a point where I feel like
writing about dad but he is much on my mind as my first Father's Day without
him has passed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After mother died in 2011, he grieved by blaming me and
my brothers for moving them out of their house and into an assisted living
facility where we believed mother could get the care she needed in the final
weeks of her life. He was frustrated at
his inability to "fix" her and angry with us for arranging for others
to help with her care. After she died in
2011, he actually said that moving her had killed her, that if we had left them
alone she would still be alive. He
insisted on returning to his house and even though we believed he needed the
services of assisted living we honored his wishes and arranged for home care
services for him. Eventually he needed more care and at times seemed lonely and
even afraid alone in the house. In the
fall of 2013 he agreed to move to a studio apartment at the Cedars of Austin
and surprised us all by soon calling it home.
He spoke kindly (most of the time) about the staff and the care he
received there. Surrounded by the few
things that mattered to him, his television, favorite blankets and a small
refrigerator that held his ice cream treats, juices and forbidden tobacco chew,
he settled into a routine and kept peace with those around him. Most of all, he loved the daily visits from
his nurse, Nancy J. and we all appreciated the loving care she showed him
the last few years of his life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Dad knew he had family that loved him, even forgave him
for his bad behavior at the time of mother's death. We all had unique relationships with
him. My older brother David and
sister-in-law Mary visited him daily and proximity made them his first
responders. Jim and I started referring
to them as our new heroes because of their 24/7 dad-duty. They did a stellar job of attending to his
every need (and most wants!) and they were unfailing in keeping us informed so that we were all in agreement
about important decisions effecting his care. Younger brother Duane seemed to
be dad's emotional partner. Often quiet
and not verbally communicative with me and David, he and Duane spent many hours talking about
his early life, war year experiences, hunting and fishing escapades and end of
life issues. With me, he often seemed
most content to just sit and hold my hand.
As the only girl, he seemed to want to spare me any stress and frequently
told me "not to worry my pretty little head" about whatever current
issue we faced. We siblings joked that we seemed to take turns being the
"fair-haired golden child" - he didn't hesitate to let each of us
know when one of the others had done a particularly good, or bad deed, usually
involving him! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Those few years passed quickly even though failing health
prompted innumerable doctors appointments, lab visits, several ambulance rides
and hospitalizations At times, those
happenings interrupted our lives and
prompted a flurry of phone calls among us as we put our heads together to
decide the best way to walk him through the modern medical mine field. We
occasionally gathered together in the Twin Cities, or in Austin to chart a plan
and make sure we were in agreement. I
think now that those 10 years we were so engrossed in taking care of our
parents brought us closer together as adult siblings than anything else could
have. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although I knew it couldn't be, sometimes it seemed like
he would be there forever! Even as the
years passed and he grew old - really old - he never seemed frail. His voice was always strong, and his big
hands always held mine tight. He still
joked with us, lectured as he saw fit, remained headstrong in his opinions, and
grumbled when he wanted to. But when he
declined to attend his granddaughter's wedding, he met his match and her tears
got him to agree to (as it turned out) his last adventure. He was the early attraction at the reception
as family and friends gathered around his wheelchair and snapped pictures that
we now all treasure.<br />
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And then the end that seemed so very long in coming, came
so fast. From March until October he had
done so well, not needing much intervention.
And then suddenly there were many failing systems and a required
hospitalization which he declared would be his last. He agreed to hospice care when he was
released from the hospital and left the Cedars only once more, to join family
for Thanksgiving dinner at David and Mary's house in Austin. One day in early December his eating slowed
and he slept more. David alerted us to
come and we began a round the clock watch at his bedside. I was blessed to be sitting with him the
morning his ragged breathing slowed and as I took his hand one last time, I
said the Lord's Prayer aloud to him. He
looked directly at me and closed his eyes.
I felt a change in our grasp as he slipped away and I knew he was gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At 93, dad was the last of his generation in our family
and his passing gives me a new sense of my own mortality and the realization of
the passing of time. I turned 70 this
year but no matter how hold you are, I think you always have the capacity for
feeling childlike, until your parents are gone. Now I am the parent, the senior, the elder but
wearing this mantle comfortably make take some time. I sense my adult children are beginning to
look at me in the ways I looked at my parents.
Sometimes they seem impatient with me if I miss a cue or forget
something and I feel defensive, not because they are wrong but because I know
they are right. I am well aware of the
creeping signs of aging in my life; I'm just not ready to have others notice! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-70536218936985724502015-10-18T22:32:00.000-05:002015-10-18T22:32:29.982-05:00Budapest - Exploring Buda<span style="font-size: large;">We started our exploration of "Buda" via tram to the other side of the Chain Bridge where we boarded a funicular for the climb to the top of Castle Hill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Castle Hill was once the seat of Hungarian Royalty and while there are only a few grand sites to visit, it does offer a wondeful view of the Danube and a panoramic view of Pest across the river. The present castle is an historically inaccurate post WWII construction that barely hints at the real history of this place. We didn't visit the Hungarian National Gallery which is housed there but it is an art museum of some note. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Turul Bird, depicted in this statue is the mythical bird of Magyar that according to legend led the Hungarian migration from the steppes of Central Asia in the 9th Century. According to RS today the bird is invoked by right-wing nationalist politicians.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next we visited the Roman Catholic Matthias Church considered to be Budapest's finest church inside and out. Against the bright blue sky, it is hard to disagree. This church, named for King Matthias Corvinus has been destroyed and rebuilt several times in the 800 years it has been around. It is elaborate in decor incorporating a number of different architectural design periods. One of my favorite spots in the church is the Loreto Chapel which holds a Baroque statue of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. According to a legend when the Turks put the Buda Castle under seige people walled the statue inside the niche to save it from destruction. In 1686 an explosion demolished the walls around the statue revealing the Virgin's smiling face. The Turks took this as a bad omen so they gave up this part of the castle without a fight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Fishermen's Bastian is adjacent to the Matthias Church and is one of the most picturesque places in Buda. We climbed the winding steps to the top hoping for a view of the Danube and Pest across the river and discovered a nearly empty outdoor restaurant where we claimed a table along the edge and enjoyed one of the best views of the trip. </span><br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-32149125868950596072015-10-18T20:32:00.001-05:002015-11-16T21:41:15.178-06:00Budapest - Exploring Pest<span style="font-size: large;">The locals say "Boo-daw-pesht" and that's about the only word we mastered of the notoriously difficult Hungarian language. At first glance it seemed like we were in just another big city but after settling in to Hotel Erzsebet and an orientation on our walk to dinner we could see we were in for a surprise. We had driven in on Andrassy ut - Pest's Grand Boulevard, past Heroes' Square which is lined with statues of Hungary's historic figures but soon we were in a modern commercial city center. At the same time we were just blocks from the historic buildings </span><span style="font-size: large;">and bridges crossing the Danube.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next morning started our walking tour of "Pest" by riding the Metro which was the first subway line on the Continent, dating to 1896. We rode it to Heroes Square and then walked to the nearby traditional baths, Szechenyl. (Several of our group returned there later in the day to sample this popular Hungarian thermal bath experience.) <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heroes Monument</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gelato - a work of art!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our walking tour took us past many of the finest buildings, most dating from the late 19th century when Budapest was the shared capital of the vast Habsburg Empire. Most impressive is the Hungarian Parliament which is one of the city's most noted landmarks. </span><br />
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From the sublime to the ridiculous, we also stopped to wonder at a statue of Ronald Reagan which was erected in 2010 to appease American opinion that the current Hungarian government was rolling back previous democratic reforms. It was even stranger to learn that then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was invited to unveil the statue! We ended our tour at the Great Market Hall, a tri-level marketplace that showcases foods of Hungary as well as souvenirs of all kinds. Having been told that Hungarians pickle just about anything, we headed for the basement level lined with stalls selling pickles of all kinds - peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, garlic etc. We visited a grocery store also on that level and enjoyed a picnic on a nearby bench as we sampled the goodies. Shopping netted us a few Christmas tree ornaments and a lovely table runner. Our day ended with a night time boat trip on the Danube where we experienced the iconic views of Budapest - the Parliament Building aglow and the lighted bridges across the Danube. We truly felt as if we were on a postcard!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch sampling many pickled vegetables</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Market Hall from the upper level</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danube by Night River Cruise</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iconic Parliament Building at night</td></tr>
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-20558391453185315412015-10-15T21:41:00.001-05:002015-10-18T20:33:42.161-05:00Happy 47th Anniversary<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not sure that I ever imagined spending our 47th anniversary in Hungary! We left Eger in the late morning on June 1 and drove to Recsk where we visited an elementary school and had lunch with the children. Several tour members are educators and it was interesting to contrast and compare school facilities. The students were quite interested in our visit and they were anxious to practice their English with us. After lunch we spent some time on the playground and immediately knew that children of this age are pretty much the same the world over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Continuing on to Budapest we made another stop near Egerszalok at a winery.The views were spectacular and seated on the porch of the winery we sampled a variety of local wines while we were entertained by the violin of Toni Varadi. When he learned it was our 47th anniversary he serenaded us with a lovely string arrangement of "Moon River." It was an afternoon to remember!</span><br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-59155468830362277792015-09-07T08:12:00.002-05:002016-07-17T23:14:58.417-05:00Rolling Along in Eastern Europe<span style="font-size: large;">One of the appealing things about the Rick Steve's tour we took to Eastern Europe was that it offered a nice mix of well known big cities and smaller less touristy places. Leaving Kraków we travelled 2 hours by bus through the High Tatra Mountains and the Spis region of the Slovakian countryside on our way to the town of Levoca.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our large bus windows allowed us to view the rollong landscape and periodically small enclaves of people came into view. These are obviously isolated villages where we saw women and children washing clothes in streams and others lounging around in the summer sun. There seemed to be a huge disconnect between what we saw here and what we had been observing elsewhere on this trip. Turning to Katka for an explanation she talked to us about The "Gypsy" Question explaining that Eastern Europe is home to a silent population mostly in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia - of millions of dark skinned people who speak a unique language and follow their own culture. (information quoted from RS travel guide to Eastern Europe) The preferred name for these people is "Roma" and estimates of their number in Europe is between 6 and 12 million. They have a long and troubled history in this part of the world ranging from times when their skills and talents were sought out, to the times when they were treated with suspicion and widespread bigotry. Over a quarter of a million of the Roma were exterminated in the Nazi Holocaust. Following World War II the Communists attempted forced assimilation of the Roma but this too failed and severely disrupted their communities and culture. Today many Roma continue to resist assimilation and they suffer poverty, living in segregation. Many Roma children drop out of school at a young age and in the face of the added problems this part of the world is experiencing with refugees fleeing war torn countries the Roma problem is likely to remain so for some time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Arriving in Levoca we settled into the town square for our our picnic lunch. This was a booming spot in the Middle Ages when Levoca was on a trade route between Hungary and Poland and today it is quieter but still Slovakia's finest small town. We enjoyed a few hours in the town square where families has gathered to enjoy a variety of foods, craft demonstrations and musical entertainment. It gave us an opportunity to glimpse how the average Slovakian family might spend a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon. The town is also known for its mostly intact medieval wall and the greatest Gothic altarpiece in all of Europe. (which unfortunately I didn't see)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Leaving Levoca we continued on to Eger,Hungary another smaller destination on our itinerary best known in history as the town that successfully held off the Ottoman advance into Europe in 1552. It is also well know among wine enthusiasts for its surrounding area which produces a well known red wine "Bull's Blood." Our overnight stay here was in probably the best room of the tour. It was in a building separate from the rest of the group and it looked out on a quiet courtyard decked out with beautiful flowering plants hanging and in pots. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was the perfect spot to enjoy a basket of strawberries from the local market</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our group dined together at Bajor Sorhaz (known as HBH to the locals because of the kind of beer they serve) and I remember the evening best because the waiter used his considerable skills to do the first pour of wine directly into the mouth of anyone brave enough to receive! He stood some distance away - enough to make me a non-participant! After dinner our group did the buddy introductions, a mandatory rite of a Rick Steve's tour.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture the waiter poured the wine into the glass from some distance!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My tour buddy was Tina - a social worker from New York</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around Dobo Square which is the heart of Eger and is remarkably free of the usual town square tourist traps hawking cheap souvenirs and postcards. The Minorite Church dominates the square and is said to be the most beautiful Baroque church in Hungary. We also visited Egers local market where stalls were piled high with the first bounty of summer. And we purchased our first bag of paprika. Later we walked to the Eger Cathedral which is the second largest church in Hungary and also has the second largest organ in the country. Other town sites seen but not explored - the northernmost Ottoman minaret in Europe and the Eger Castle. Our visit to Eger was brief but I sensed that I had seen an authentic Hungarian town, full of Egerites going about their business.</span><br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-47521905533523008712015-09-05T21:22:00.000-05:002015-10-18T20:36:21.080-05:00Here Come the Bride- and Groom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">What appears to matter most these days is the wedding! After a long engagement due to her CRNA graduate program, Claire and Derek will be married in just one week. They have been "showered," fitted and groomed, have tasted appetizers, entries and cupcakes. They have auditioned bands and listened to strings. They have been dance coached and ceremony counseled. She has pondered hairstyles, make up and nail polish, earrings, hair ornaments, jewelry and shoes. He has anguished over ties. They spent cold winter Sundays with a "gun" at Bed Bath and Beyond and Crate and Barrel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But as I reflect on these activities of the past eighteen months I am reminded that none of this is what really matters. It is about the marriage, not the wedding. And what pleases me most is that I know Claire and Derek know it too. I have seen it in the ways their love has grown in the five years they have been together. They have supported each other through a grueling school program, job loss and some significant health issues. We have admired their patience with each other and their communication skills. They are loving and generous with family, faithful to friends, and kind to everyone. They rescued Fancy Pants and are devoted to giving this sweet dog a happy life. They have plans and dreams for their life together. And the will to make them come true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Their parents have combined, over 75 years experience in marriage and have survived things they are yet to face - and some of these things we hope they never have to face. But I am encouraged by what I see in them now and confident that they are ready for whatever life will bring. I am certain that they know the ceremony on September 12 and the promises they will make to each other that day are what really matter.</span><br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-23461140401805841072015-07-04T17:33:00.002-05:002015-10-18T20:37:37.057-05:00Remembering Krakow<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">One
of the highlights of any European city is the great market square and Kraków
does not disappoint. After the Tatars destroyed the city in 1241 it was
rebuilt in a near perfect grid and with a square that is one of the city's best
attractions. Our hotel was just steps from this square and we enjoyed
sitting there waiting for the "Trumpeter of Krakow" to play the
hourly "bejnal" song from the tower of St. Mary's Church. According
to legend, during the first Tartar invasion a young boy was attempting to warn
the townspeople by playing his bugle from the tower but an enemy arrow pierced
his throat, stopping him in mid song and that is why he still does so today.
( Today there are 12 firemen who serve as the trumpeters, each one
working 24 hour shift, keeping this legend alive.) Note that this legend
is recounted in the Newberry Award winning book (1929) "Trumpeter of
Kraków" by Eric P. Kelly</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">St.
Mary's Church has stood on this spot for 800 years and I will remember it best
for the amazing three part altarpiece, which RS calls one of the best
medieval woodcarvings in existence. Other artwork in the church is
equally impressive, making it one of the most beautiful churches of this trip. We have a "one church a day" rule but we broke it on the day we
attended a concert at the Church of St. Adalbert which also sits on the main
square. Built in the 10th century, it is the oldest church in
Kraków. It is very small and since only 40 people could attend the concert this was as close as I'll ever sit to the performers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another
major site near the square is the Cloth House a place where cloth sellers had
their market stalls in the Middle Ages and a market still exists today. I
spent a considerable amount of time puruseing the many stalls looking for what I
thought would be the perfect Kraków souvenir - a trumpet Christmas tree
ornament! I was astonished that not a single vendor had such an item! A
serious marketing failure in my opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wawel Cathedral was completed over centuries and it's eclectic exterior reflects this</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kraków
was one of my favorite stops on this trip. It has all the charm and history of
Prague but doesn't seem as touristy. It is easy to find your way around
this very walkable city and on our free day we enjoyed a stroll along Planty, a
scenic park like path along a former moat and later a walk along the Vistula
River where we stumbled upon a street festival populated by young families
enjoying the beautiful day. On another day we made our way up the hill to
Wawel Cathedral, Poland's national church and the Wawel Castle grounds where
the flowers were in bloom and the views worth the climb.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wawel Castle Grounds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Castle grounds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5K9-hNZFsLo64pG-ZIeMHbEoDU0TSRwbJ2vq5UgBCRvzvVVQ0ICsui47L6f5kNlo-1G6jgfiCKHMl2g4c4UI7vLWIVeig6VP2Lv2FCcOQJhwB3R1gN5beQ-ljpQr4CWz9H0ogj6Yj0VM/s1600/IMG_3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5K9-hNZFsLo64pG-ZIeMHbEoDU0TSRwbJ2vq5UgBCRvzvVVQ0ICsui47L6f5kNlo-1G6jgfiCKHMl2g4c4UI7vLWIVeig6VP2Lv2FCcOQJhwB3R1gN5beQ-ljpQr4CWz9H0ogj6Yj0VM/s320/IMG_3192.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street Festival Foods</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On
one of our walks we searched out the Bishop's Palace <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">the second largest palace in
Kraków (after Wawel) which has been the residence of Kraków's bishops since it
was first built in the 14th century. Today the Palace is most famous for having
been the residence of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla from 1958 to 1978, before he
became Pope John Paul II. During his visits to Kraków as Pope he would often
make appearances in the 'papal window' to address the crowds of his followers
below; an image of the Pope now fills the window (making it easy for tourists
to identify) and during anniversaries you can be sure the area will be
festooned with flowers and candles. The building itself is off-limits, but the
courtyard is open to tourists where you'll find an exhibit on the life of the
Pope and the first monument of the former pontiff, erected in 1980. I
scoured the postcard displays all over Kraków until I finally found a postcard
of the beloved Pontiff which I mailed to my 94 year old father who much loved
this pope. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: large;">On our last day in Kraków we
visited the Jewish quarter (Kazimierz) and later Schindler's Factory. Unfortunately this was the only rainy day of our tour and a cloudburst
drenched our group and cut short the time we had to really explore the Jewish
quarter. Before the rain we did learn about the history of the area, how
Jews had lived here since the 15th century and this became a flourishing
community in the 1800s. At the start of World War II, 65,000 Jews lived
in Kraków but only a few thousand survived the Nazi control. Today only a few
hundred Jews live here but our guide explained that this number is growing and
there is a renaissance of Jewish culture happening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The popularity of the movie
"Schindler's List," which was partially filmed here may
play a part in this and a visit to Schindler's Factory Musuem was the second
part of our day in this part of Kraków. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: large;">We took a tram across the
Vistula River to the neighborhood called Podgorze where the Nazis forced
Krakow's Jews into a ghetto in early 1941. Our first stop was Ghetto
Heroes Square where empty metal chairs sit as a reminders of the how the Jews
were forced to this place, along with all their furniture and possessions. The
empty chairs are a somber reminder of what happened to the people who lived
here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thomas Keneally's 1982 book
"Schindler's Ark" first brought the story of German industrialist
Oskar Schindler to the world's attention. When the Nazis first
invaded Poland Schindler was very much a sympathizer who saw business
potential in acquiring a pots and pans factory staffed<b> </b></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">by over 1000 Jewish workers.
At some point however his allegiance changed and he secretly became an
advocate for his Jewish workers using any means possible to ease their
miserable living conditions and save them from probable death. When the
factory was ordered moved and directed to begin manufacturing war materials he
argued for the necessity of keeping his workers and it is said that the items
produced for the war effort were largely sabotaged to fail. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The museum tells Schindler's
story but also depicts the World War II experience of all of Kraków. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvD2c1zbsJv4dZAARzgaWDsL1Iv4DtoQ1ramNFcpqKBU68hZz-tAbt-prUEVnzUqZ61YKPRycbTcLFwtZ2J7mUWFvwB89I9LBsRzD1uZjgjYPpWlzHao86i2dK8TjCZ_cDwbhM3pN1N9z/s1600/IMG_3204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvD2c1zbsJv4dZAARzgaWDsL1Iv4DtoQ1ramNFcpqKBU68hZz-tAbt-prUEVnzUqZ61YKPRycbTcLFwtZ2J7mUWFvwB89I9LBsRzD1uZjgjYPpWlzHao86i2dK8TjCZ_cDwbhM3pN1N9z/s320/IMG_3204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: large;">Leaving the museum we got caught in the second big downpour of the day. This time it came with a very big wind which turned my umbrella inside out and that was the end of my Paris umbrella. . Another reason why I need to go back to Paris! </span></div>
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<!--[endif]--></span>Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-88989131031269821182015-06-25T15:33:00.001-05:002015-06-25T15:35:35.825-05:00<span style="font-size: large;">Some things I like about travel in Europe and some things I don't</span><br />
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No sheets, no blankets only comforters in crisp duvets<br />
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Expandable mirrors in the bathroom<br />
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Fleece blankets on all outside dining chairs<br />
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The little "trash containers" on the table at most meals. So handy for neatly disposing of fruit peels and scraps, wrappers, bones etc<br />
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Tankless toilets -when you flush, it's flushed !<br />
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Hand held shower heads<br />
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Soap dispensers in showers and at sinks<br />
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Bounteous breakfast buffets - but maybe not the hot dogs or spam slices<br />
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Pay public toilets at tourist sites - attendants keep them clean and well supplied<br />
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Heated towel racks<br />
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Public transportation<br />
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And not so much...<br />
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Extremely slow working toasters - never had a real piece of toast on this trip<br />
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Very undercooked bacon<br />
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No washcloths<br />
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Small elevators, or maybe none and all<br />
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No tissues in most hotels<br />
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Great bread but where's the butter?<br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-26478125098617667682015-06-16T22:04:00.002-05:002015-06-16T22:18:15.989-05:00Auschwitz and Birkenau<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA_TWRVkmbo4c5MFjnnCCSCDsZ1KFMvp44fqAsN1pUix8lqRoZvo9tOQY-UmToGohUKH3whsCAZxWhCPC8q86wFLQNJGD_d2fCKgWiQ5zTadAWJKHXRezVdFJUXhlIOCTf0ByqdfL0d-R/s1600/088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA_TWRVkmbo4c5MFjnnCCSCDsZ1KFMvp44fqAsN1pUix8lqRoZvo9tOQY-UmToGohUKH3whsCAZxWhCPC8q86wFLQNJGD_d2fCKgWiQ5zTadAWJKHXRezVdFJUXhlIOCTf0ByqdfL0d-R/s320/088.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Work will set you free"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Jim and I visited Dachau on our first trip to Germany in 1976 and I have never forgotten the hot summer day we wandered around the grounds and reflected on the horror of what happened there. In intervening years I have read (three times) Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" in which he recounts his time in Auschwitz. In the forward to the book Harold Kushner remarks that the book is less about what Frankl suffered and endured but more about how he survived. Frankl himself quotes Nietzsche, " He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How." This is the message I find so helpful at those times in life when life itself seems to have lost its meaning. In my own life that was in 1996 when I was blindsided by a second cancer, in 2001 when the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center fell and so many innocent people died within, and in 2011 when my mother died in a manner that troubled and confused me.<br />
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Because he has been such an inspiration to me in these (by comparison) small challenges in life I feel as if I "know" someone who was in this awful place and I visited it with Viktor Frankl in my mind. He had already described the places so clearly to me and they were so much as I had pictured them - the overcrowd barracks, the train tracks, selection platform, gas chambers and crematorium. When I gazed at the railroad car on the tracks at Birkenau I shuddered to be in this place. As many as 100 people were crammed so tightly in a railroad care such as this. Some crouched on the floor while others crowded around the small barred peep holes which were the only source of light and fresh air. The transport could last for days and many did not survive the trip.<br />
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Our tour group walked mostly single file and quieter than on any other day as we went from room to room guided by a appropriately sober woman who had tears in her eyes as she told us to "take pictures and show them to everyone - let all the world know what happened here."<br />
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I have a copy of "Man's Search for Meaning" at home but at tour's end I headed for the small shop to purchase another and it's this one I will treasure as a lasting momento of the hot summer afternoon I walked where Viktor Frankl suffered but survived.<br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-38042339296164946852015-06-09T02:44:00.003-05:002015-10-18T19:23:07.539-05:00Rick Steves - Best of Eastern Europe: Prague<br />
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Everyone said we would love Prague - and we did once we stopped being lost! <br />
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Our train ride from Berlin to Prague was very nice - beautiful scenery along the Elbe River, reminiscent of the train ride from St.Paul to Winona along the Mississippi. We shared our train car with an Indian couple from Scotland and a couple from the Czech Republic and the afternoon passed quickly with interesting conversation about travel, health care, life under communism , and assorted topics about family, parenthood and aging. These moments are the best part of travel, when strangers meet and instantly form connections - reinforcing my belief that people all over the world want the same thing - to just live as happily as possible.<br />
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Finding the hotel was a challenge! We easily managed the Metro system but once we surfaced the confusing street names and layout completely baffled us. After walking in the wrong direction (pulling our suitcases over the rough cobblestones) we finally were set in the right direction by a very helpful policeman. After more wandering we made a call to the hotel for directions but were told to just ask someone on the street! This is not very helpful advice when you are lost in a city of other equally lost tourists! Jim finally solved our problem by asking a very helpful young woman at a hotel we entered. She delivered the best news we had heard all afternoon, "you are very close."<br />
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I did enjoy Prague but I think after being told the past few years by so many how beautiful the city is and how much fun it is to visit, my expectations were very high. That said, we did love the red roofs viewed from many vistas, the great food and beer, the impressive buildings and squares, and the city's long and interesting history. Our delightful guide "Katka" is from "Praha" and she is the "jewel in the crown" of this tour. Born and raised in a small town about an hour from Prague she lived under communist rule until she was 14 and fascinated us with stories of that time as it effected her and her family. It was chilling to stand in Wenceslas Square and recall those televised reports from 1969 when the Russian tanks rolled in and Czechoslovakia came under communist rule. Wenceslas Square was also the place where over 300,000 Czechs gathered every evening in November, 1969 awaiting word that the freedom that had already come to Berliners would soon be theirs.<br />
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Jim and I visited the Museum of Communism in Prague which traces the story of communism in Czecholovakia from the beginning, including the promise, the reality and the Velvet Revolution when communism ended without bloodshed. The exhibits depicting the austere life under the communists and a short video with interviews of people who lived through that time confirm what we believed about communism, growing up in the US..<br />
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As we visited the various countries Katka spoke frequently about communism and we learned that some people had a difficult time after the Iron Curtain was lifted. Older people especially found security in having so much of life taken care of by the State - they had jobs they didn't have to work very hard at, health care and pensions. Because life was bare and basic families spent a lot of time together; that was their entertainment and they relied on one another. There were no homeless people. When all this disappeared many of them struggled with their new freedom. Young people, on the other hand yearned for freedom and many of them left their homelands, to work and travel and experience life in ways they had never known. There were "grades" of communism among the countries we visited - some had stricter leaders and suffered more oppression than others.<br />
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We saw many memorable sites in Prague but one of my favorites was a walk to the Strahov Monastery where we has a tasty lunch (cheese and meat board) and the best beer of the trip - a dark beer that was unexpectantly different from what we know as dark beer.<br />
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It was fitting that we ended our visit to Prague with yet another fruitless search as we became lost and never found the famed Monastery Gardens!<br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-42368141424187075102015-06-03T09:47:00.001-05:002015-06-16T21:45:24.188-05:00Happy Travels Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jim and I made our first trip to Germany in 1976 when the Berlin Wall stood and the Cold War raged. As young travel novices I remember that we considered a visit to Berlin, but only briefly. I wanted to go but I remember the uncertainty about being so close to an area than I knew was communist when I still harbored very real fears about communism from my 1950s upbringing. Instead from Vienna we opted for a night train trip across Germany to the Netherlands where we joined hordes of tourists at the Alkmaar cheese festival. (But that's a story for another time!)<br />
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I never forgot my desire to visit Berlin and ever since the Wall came down in 1989 I have been curious about how this city survived and now thrives despite all it endured. I was further intrigued to visit by a book I recently read "My Berlin Kitchen" in which the author recounts her Berlin childhood and her days as a young married woman after the wall came down. When we decided to take the Rick Steves tour of Eastern European countries this provided the perfect opportunity to start in Berlin. We arrived via Paris on Wednesday, May 20 and enjoyed a few days both immersed in history and awed by the sight of a city that has truly risen from ashes. <br />
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We started as we usually do, in a big and unfamiliar city by doing a "hop on, hop off circle bus tour" and then we used a very helpful self-guided walking RIck Steves audio tour. We stayed in the Prenzlauer Berg area, formerly in East Berlin but now revitalized by trendy hotels, restaurants and bars with multiple cranes looming over the streets - a testimony to the continual rebuilding. It was conveniently located close to Alexanderplatz and the city's wonderful public transit system. Each evening we found amazing restaurants right in our neighborhood and enjoyed the great foods and beer we remember from our previous trips to Germany in 1976 and 1978.<br />
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In our recent trips to Europe we have learned to not try to do it all, but to chose a few places we want to explore more thoroughly and after getting a good overview of the city's historical sites, we chose to spend time in the German History Museum and the Jewish History Museum. The first tells the story of not just Berlin but of all of Germany and helps you to understand the fateful turn this country took in the early part of the 20th century. The second is considered one of Europe's best Jewish sights. With the help of an excellent audio guide the exhibits come alive and you begin to understand the complex relationship the Germans and Jews have had since medieval times. Before experiencing the exhibits you will marvel at the architecture of the museum itself. It was designed by the American architect David Libeskind who is the master planner for the redesigned World Trade Center in New York. It is a zinc walled building with voids which represent the world culture missing as a result of the Holocaust. One of the most haunting experiences of this trip (which included a visit to Auschwitz) was standing alone in the empty concrete tower where only a sliver of light entered the room at the top. The is the Axis of the Holocaust.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the maze</td></tr>
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By far the most moving site of our Berlin visit was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It consists of 2,711 gravestone like pillars which are made of hollow concrete and are set in a sunken area. You can enter anywhere and you are soon lost among the maze, alone with your own thoughts about what this all means.<br />
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Part of any visit to Berlin is seeing the Hitler/Nazi sites and most remaining artifacts are thoughtfully presented in historical context with little sensationalism. Most museums like the German Resistence Museum which we visited rely heavily on text explanations and have few artifacts. Where they are seen, Hitler's portraits are small. The spot of his underground bunker where he committed suicide on April 30, 1945 is barely noted - no one wishes this to be a major tourist site. <br />
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In addition to the cranes another thing that struck me was the number of bicyclists everywhere. We quickly learned to watch out for them as they whizzed by, almost more a threat to pedestrians than car traffic. Walking around I also noted something else I haven't seen before - small fleece blankets on the back of outdoor restaurant chairs! Perhaps I don't get out often enough, or maybe because the Twin Cities climate isn't exactly conducive to outdoor eating but I don't remember seeing this at home. It's a nice touch for spring and fall outdoor dining.<br />
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And speaking of dining - we weren't disappointed! We were told that Berliners don't go out for German food and that international cuisine (Indian, Italian, Asian) is more popular with the locals. We bypassed this advice and sought out sauerkraut, potatoes, sausages at every meal. Jim tried curry wurst a popular street food invented after WWII and found it quite tasty. Our last evening in Berlin we dined at Prater Restaurant, enjoying their own microbrew and traditional Biergarten cuisine. A perfect ending to 4 great days in Berlin. It was worth the long wait.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fassbender and Rausch- claims to be Europe's biggest chocolate store</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - bombed out ruins left as a reminder of the destruction of Berlin in WWII</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fragments of the Berlin Wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TV Tower - built in 1969 for the 20th anniversary of the communist government<br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-37605284048298332612014-08-30T20:12:00.001-05:002015-06-16T21:47:50.397-05:00A most romantic day<br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-85259143858677283482014-08-30T20:09:00.001-05:002015-06-16T21:46:55.629-05:00Engaged!<br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-91442842562026735062014-08-30T19:59:00.001-05:002014-08-30T19:59:42.227-05:00Happy travels?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/48673901@N00/14901501548" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3912/14901501548_c92125e431.jpg" id="blogsy-1409446757924.6868" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="374" height="290"></a></div><p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-9180055195961107962014-08-30T14:20:00.000-05:002014-08-30T14:39:00.316-05:00Some Things That Matter to Me Right NowFall is in the air and that always heralds new beginnings for me. I get antsy thinking about projects I want to do, and need to firm up the plans I have been scheming and dreaming about all summer. Because "my eyes are always bigger than my stomach" it helps to make lists and then begin to anticipate the delicious feeling I get when I can cross something off the list. So let's get started!<br />
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1. Finish C's heritage scrapbook. I have been working on this for more than 5 years so<br />
it deserves to be at the top of the list!<br />
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2. Sew B's Advent calendar. Complete by Thanksgiving!<br />
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3. Commit to a timetable for the bathroom remodel project<br />
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4. Car shop. Safety first.<br />
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5. Put a deposit on the Rick Steve's Eastern Europe trip for May- June, 2015. I think<br />
Berlin should be the starting point.<br />
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Let's git 'er done!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-86021172927324243742014-08-29T17:12:00.000-05:002014-08-30T15:57:09.858-05:00Matters of Life and Death, and FriendsI saw the picture first. Just two smiling friends on a typical Facebook post. It wasn't until I read the comments that I knew those happy faces were from another time and that today was a very sad day. Later I learned that one was a 30 something mother of 3 young children who had struggled 4 long years with breast cancer before losing her life to that dread disease. All the ice bucket challenges in the world can't comfort us in the face of another person dying so young from any disease.<br />
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For me, it's a flashback 35 years and the sad realization that even after all this time we are still losing our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends to breast cancer. Kathy, one of the first friends of my newly married life years ago, died after living with breast cancer for 5 years. At that age, friends come more slowly but more intensely into your life and they stay longer - lifelong we hope. And when they die the loss is even greater and even scarier because it reminds us how vulnerable we all are, how fleeting life can be for all of us. The grieving is overwhelming and the missing never goes away.<br />
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I didn't know this young woman - or her heartbroken young husband or the 3 small children who can't possibly comprehend their mother's absence. But I do know the friend pictured with her and I do feel the pain she feels today at the death of her friend. In time, some memories of their friendship will fade but the best ones will become even brighter and she will slowly find comfort and peace - and gratitude for the time they did have as friends.Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-2103327700108413482014-08-24T21:39:00.003-05:002014-08-24T21:39:49.843-05:00It's Only a PeachBut it mattered. Last week when I visited dad I was making light conversation. It might be light conversation, but actually it is hard work because advancing age is robbing him of even more things like his hearing, and many days he is weak from the effects of his worsening COPD, heart valve failure and reoccurring anemia. Most days he seems happy to just sit and squeeze my hand during our visits, not sure who is comforting whom, but this day he wanted to talk and we were reminiscing about his gardens of years past and how much we both enjoyed the foods of the late summer season. We talked about how he and mother canned fruits and vegetables and he seemed happy that we are growing tomatoes this year, and enjoying our first harvest. Someone had brought him a beautiful tomato from their garden that morning and he was enjoying eating it out of hand, the juice running down his chin. That's when the talk turned to peaches and I told him that I have been enjoying the wonderful Alberta peaches from Colorado. His eyes lit up and he looked so joyfully thoughtful as he talked about how much my mother loved those peaches - and my grandmother too. They always thought those peaches to be the best of the best and dad reminded me that the Alberta peach season is short and he would really like it if I would be sure to bring him one on my next visit.<br />
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The distance between us is only 90 miles and I know the times I have left to visit with him are numbered. Still there are days when I am torn between my need to be the "good daughter" and my desire to attend to the things of my daily life. I felt that way yesterday. And then I saw a Colorado peach sitting on my kitchen counter when I started my morning coffee. Unblemished and perfectly ripe, it even had a discernible fragrance. I know immediately that it ( and I ) had a mission for the day. He looked so tired and alone among the IV poles, cords and monitors when I entered his hospital room. We greeted each other and I got an update on his condition but it wasn't until I pulled the peach from my bag and set it on his bed tray that I got the smile and the light in his eyes that I had come for. <br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadSecond Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-67819947764314762622014-05-26T12:08:00.000-05:002014-05-26T19:23:55.137-05:00Friends for a Reason, Friends for a Season and the best, Friends for a Lifetime. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
In Brownies and Girl Scouts we sang a little song "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold". I would say our recent trip to France had both. Rick and Diane are lifelong friends - the four of us actually went on our first dates together in high school, 50 years ago! Our new friends, Jim and Judy enriched our trip with their wonderful spirit of adventure and their ability to laugh at any situation. There is a lot of down time in travel - that "hurry up, and wait" mode and Jim was always ready with a story, or an observation that added meaning, and levity to the moment. We look forward to having them in our lives as new friends.</div>
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-26990807097725621902014-05-26T11:33:00.001-05:002016-07-20T21:56:19.223-05:00Memorial Day, 2014 - Remembering the Normandy Invasion<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;">" Think not only upon their passing</span></td><td class="tr-caption"></td><td class="tr-caption"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Remember the glory of their spirit"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">There were many inspirational moments on our Normandy tour but none remain as clear in</span> my mind as the words above which are inscribed on the chapel wall at the Normandy American Cemetery. The cemetery is situated on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel and holds the remains of 9387 American military dead most of whom were killed during the Normandy invasion. The mosaic<br />
ceiling depicts America blessing her sons as they depart by sea and air, and a grateful France bestowing a laurel wreath upon the American dead.<br />
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Also at this site - A 22 foot statue "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves" facing west, toward the headstones.<br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-62799918280302011182014-05-25T21:25:00.000-05:002016-07-20T21:55:04.196-05:00A 70th Anniversary Tour of Normandy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CDB Tours and the owner/operators are serious about their business. When we settled into the van the first morning we were supplied with manuals that detailed what we would see that day and listened to audio tapes as we rode along as well. Add to this Eddie's vast military knowledge and interesting personal stories and you have a recipe for a most successful tour. Among the sites: St. Mere Eglise (US 82nd and 101st Airborne Division) Utah Beach, Point du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Military Cemetery. Another day we visited the Pegasus Bridge, Sword, Juno and Gold Beaches, Longues (the German Coastal Battery) and on the final day, Bayeux and the historic tapestry. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunker at Point du Hoc held a powerful German gun</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Point du Hoc<br />
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German Bunker - Point du Hoc </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim, Rick and Jim at St Mere Eglese</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Mere Eglese - model of trapped paratrooper</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-22960595160943737442014-05-25T18:42:00.000-05:002014-05-25T21:09:00.373-05:0019th Century French Country Living<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had been in transit almost 24 hours when we entered the tree lined drive of our first destination, Chateau De Beaulieu. After spending a long afternoon at Gare St. Lazare in Paris waiting for our train to Valognes we were happy to see Eddie and Sharon from the Chateau waiting for us at the station. We will stay here for 3 nights and Eddie, a retired British Royal Marine Lieutenant Colonel will guide us through the historic WWII Normandy sites. We settled in quickly, had a hearty dinner and after a glass of wine were fighting to keep our eyes open and our sleeepy heads from bobbing as we watched the pre-tour video. Fortunately this is a familiar routine to our hosts and they understood our need for an early bedtime.<br />
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Our hosts and tour guides, Sharon and Eddie<br />
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Our blue room had a seaside theme<br />
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Sharon had given us a little bit of the Chateau's history during dinner including the fact that Nazi officers had lived there during the WWII occupation of France. I couldn't help but wonder what the walls might say if they could speak now! I did my best to look past this sad fact and appreciate the beauty of this gracious home, built in the early 1800s, and the gorgeous landscape that greeted me out the window that first morning.<br />
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-33509245868441404092014-05-18T14:29:00.001-05:002014-05-26T11:40:22.887-05:00Paris, why did we wait so long to meet?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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David Sedaris has never set a foot inside the Louvre, and
neither have I. After spending a week in Paris I was feeling slightly chagrined
that I didn't make it to the Louvre. Then on the flight home from Paris<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was listening to an interview Rick Steves
did with Sedaris in which he said that even though he has lived in France for
years, he has never been in the Louvre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Missing it wasn't intentional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
rode the #69 bus which provides a drive-by view (from west to east) of most of
the major Paris landmarks and we saw the iconic pyramid entrance to the
museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since churches and art museums weren't
high on my list for this trip, driving by was just enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The Louvre did make my "to do" list for Paris but it just wasn't very high on the list. I am sure inquiring minds want to know what beat it out? </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This being my first trip to Paris I think I was more interested in Paris itself. I wanted to see where it all began on Ile de la Cite and that's where I headed first. (Well after a very brief visit to the Eiffel Tower) I was awed as I walked slowly in the rain around Notre-Dame Cathedral and stared up at the 200 foot tall bell towers and tried to imagine how medieval workers could accomplish such construction. Jim was especially excited to see the work of French architect Viollet le Duc who built a second spire during a mid 1800s restoration of the Cathedral. </span><img alt="+" src="http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/plugins/pb_nd/imgs/petit-point.gif" style="left: 34px; position: absolute; top: 67px;" />The spire dominates the copper statues of <span class="spip">the twelve apostles</span> with the symbols of <span class="spip">the four evangelists</span>. Viollet-le-Duc represented himself as <span class="spip">Saint Thomas</span> holding a square. His back is turned and he seems to be contemplating the top of his “Great Work” Now the pictures that Claire and Lindsey took in 2007 from the top of the facade, between the two towers make more sense to me - and seem even scarier! It's a 400 stair climb to the top (which I didn't do) but it truly allows you to share the famous gargoyle's view of Paris.</div>
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The Paris Archaeological Crypt is located only 100 yards in front of the Cathedral. Discovered during excavations from 1965-1972 it contains the remains of many of the structures that existed in the center of Paris since early Roman times. It is a fascinating underground look at the earliest history of the Gallo- Roman town of Lutetia, later to become Paris. </div>
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Also high on my list were neighborhood walks. We took the historic Paris walk of Ile de la Cite and the Latin Quarter, the Marais walk, Montmartre walk and of course Champs-Elysee from the Arc de Triomphe. </div>
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A bookstore for bookstore lovers </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is a trip to Paris without a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower?</span></td></tr>
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Lunch at Moulin de la Galette</div>
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<br />Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-51652464837904087922014-05-18T13:03:00.000-05:002014-05-25T17:55:17.890-05:00Pickpocket - 1 Carol - 0<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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My notion that I am a savvy traveler was shattered on our
first morning in Paris when I was "pick pocketed" in the metro.
Fortunately I lost only the cosmetic bag I was carrying in my small Rick Steves
purse - think I may have left it unzipped when I took out a pen to note
something about our metro route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
maybe he unzipped it as it was dragged around to my back when I went through
the turnstile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any case it was a good
lesson with minor consequences since I lost nothing of value. It all happened
so fast and I didn't notice it missing until we were on the platform. When I
ran back up to the area I saw the same guy following another woman through the
turnstile and realized what had just happened to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made eye contact and I so wanted to tell
him my lipstick color was all wrong for him<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- but I don't speak that much French!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I was uncertain about the wisdom of being too confrontational with
an obvious pickpocket/thief so I let<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it
go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incident provided a perfect
excuse for browsing the tacky souvenir shops for replacement items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now have a charming bag, mirror and pill
box all tastefully decorated with iconic Parisian graphics. I am even more convinced that a "waist safe" is the way to go as all things of value were hidden in it under my clothes. <br />
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-54848572816264178552014-05-17T17:03:00.001-05:002014-05-17T17:03:14.199-05:001808 8th St. NE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">It's been a tough week emptying and dismantling my childhood home, made sadder by knowing that the company that bought the land will turn it into a parking lot. The bright spot has been Habitat for Humanity which will reuse so much of the house - they took a lot of furniture and all the appliances, the doors and windows, light fixtures and fans, cupboards, plumbing etc. It's like organ donation for houses and I am happy to know another family might grow up surrounded by what was once around us. I have clear memories of moving from Sullivan Street in 1952, to this house at 1808 8th St. when Interstate 90 was routed through our yard. I remember being awed by having my own room and by the plush carpeting - a deep burgundy color - a definite upgrade from our previous home. It was such a small house by today's standards but we were happy there and I grew up believing I had more than enough. I left that house for college in 1964, and later in 1968 for marriage and my own home. Mom and dad lived there until 2011 when they moved to Sacred Heart Care Center where she died in September, 2011. Dad moved back to "his" house that year and lived there off and on until November, 2013 when he moved permanently to the Cedars in Austin. You can make a lot of memories in 61 years.</span>Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199760925116689097.post-7250204798999789162013-05-30T22:09:00.001-05:002013-07-05T11:19:34.895-05:00Buon Giorno! Diary of a Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Wednesday, May 1, 2013 - JFK Airport, NYC</strong><br />
<br />
Tom picked us up at 9:30 with the unbelievable news that the Twin Cities may get a few inches of snow later this week! Jim has arranged for Matt to take care of spring yard cleanup, and possible first lawn mow but I don't think there was any discussion of snow removal ! All went smoothly at MSP airport with an on-time departure and amazingly, no need for plane de-icing. Flight to JFK was uneventful - the best kind of flight!<br />
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I have never been at JFK and am awed by the size of this airport and all of the frenetic activity. So many people rushing about and so many languages overhead and all around. In my intense over - preparation for this trip I read many scary things about Alitalia airlines but I have to say, our initial experience has been positive. The ticket counter agent was very friendly and when I inquired about upgrading our seats to Delta's equivalent of "economy plus" she lowered her voice and said she would see what she could do on this totally full flight to reassign us to roomier seats - at no cost! Wow! (Suppose I should withhold any cheering until I see the seats AND collect the bags we were required to check...)<br />
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Now that we have cleared security we are relaxed but excited about finally being on our way to Italy. <br />
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Update: seats are ok - in the bulkhead so more leg room. But the latrines are right in front of us so we'll see if we made a good move. <br />
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<strong>Wednesday, May 1 Midnight - Doubletree Airport Hotel, NYC</strong><br />
<br />
Well, we 're not in Kansas, Dorothy - and it ain't Milan either<br />
<br />
All was going as we'd planned until about an hour out of New York. There was a small screen in front of us with a plane showing our progress and I noticed suddenly that it had turned around and was headed back to New York! I pointed it out to Jim (who told me not to worry -probably just a glitch in the tracking program...) and then the pilot came on (in Italian) to say that a problem with a wing flap has been detected and we could not cross the ocean with this stability problem. He assured us it would not effect our landing but I have to say it was a little rocky and tippy at landing. Fortunately I didn't see all the fire engines and ambulances lined up along the runway. I prefer my fire engine experiences to be cakes, like the one I recently made for Benjamin's 3rd birthday. <br />
After a long wait on the tarmac, an even longer wait at baggage claim and an even longer wait to be bussed to a hotel, we jumped out of the line with another couple (Sally and Ernie, from Phoenix) and took a taxi to the hotel. We didn't get any dinner, arriving here at midnight, after the restaurant closed but we did snag some tasty treats from the vending machine (think chef boyardee for the microwave...) and we aren't in line downstairs where one night hotel clerk is trying to check in 200+ people. I take full credit for the taxi idea!<br />
I have no idea when we will learn our fate - still hoping to get to Italy by the time our tour starts on Friday. All we have now is an 800 number and instructions to call in the morning. Right now I am holding with Delta whose recording just said wait time was 40 minutes.<br />
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No wonder people go to Disneyland.<br />
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<strong>Thursday, May 2, still in NYC</strong><br />
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Let's try again!<br />
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After a night and early morning of uncertainty, Alitalia notified us that our flight has been rescheduled to 3:30, with a 6 am arrival Friday in Milan. We spent today repeating yesterday - back at JFK, checking our bags, getting seat assignments, going through security. We are learning to hurry up - and wait. I think Jim and I are handling this minor setback well. We are losing our day in Milan but are thankful that the mechanical problem was discovered, possibly avoiding loss of all our days!<br />
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<strong>Friday, May 3</strong><br />
Italy at last! We flew and landed without incident and made our way quickly through the quietest airport I have ever seen. We were relieved to see our red and green banded luggage come down the shute and after some reorganization we caught a bus to Milan's central station. We flirted briefly with the idea of trying to see some of Milan, but after 2 nights with little or no sleep we decided to make a better choice and catch the next train to Varenna. We only had a few minutes to figure out how to buy a ticket from the machine, find the correct departure platform and get the ticket validated, but we made it.<br />
<br />
We were thrilled to see the sun on Lake Como as we rounded a bend before pulling in to Varenna . It was a 15 minute walk ( up the first of many hills in this trip) to Villa Cipressi where we were ushered to a most charming room overlooking the garden and the lake. Some of what I had pictured for this trip is beginning to materialize.<br />
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We settled in, took a walk around the town and had lunch at Hotel Olivedo by the ferry dock. The dining room of this old hotel was once a ballroom and the ornate architecture and decoration are remarkable. We enjoyed a healthy looking salad with tuna, olives and capers and washed it down with our first Italian beers. A leisurely stroll back to the hotel on the passerella took us past the first Gelateria of the the trip. At 5:00 we gathered in the hotel foyer where we met Rainer, our tour leader and our 22 travel companions, and proceeded to Hotel du Lac for wine and hors d'oeuvres and an introduction to our Italy tour. After 2 nights of very little sleep, we had a quick bite to eat at Bar il Molo on the shores of Lake Como, and wandered dreamily back to our hotel. A long, but very satisfying first day of our trip.<br />
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<strong>Saturday, May 4</strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Como - Villa Carlotta Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainer and Hassan</td></tr>
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We both slept soundly for more than 10 hours and were ready to get serious about this travel business after our first Italian breakfast. Our first day was a "free" day to ride the ferry around Lake Como and stop as we pleased. Nicole and I had visited the gardens at Villa Carlotta in 2004 and I knew Jim would enjoy seeing this beautiful lakeside landscape. With the azaleas and rhododendrons in full bloom, it did not disappoint. We also made a brief stop at Bellagio and enjoyed day 2 of the trip challenge (having gelato every day) Back in Varenna by midday, we took a stroll enjoying more lovely gardens at villas along the lake, as well as the gardens of Villa Cipressi. We joined our group for dinner featuring a buckwheat pasta that is unique to this area, along with fresh fish from Lake Como. The pasta dish is called pizzoccheri ( buckwheat pasta with potatoes and greens) and I would love to make it if I can locate the pasta in MN. The house wine was very tasty and I had to resist the urge to have a beer, my usual beverage of choice. We also met our very debonair bus driver, Hassan. I can see the days will be long and action-filled and we are fast asleep as soon as we get in bed.<br />
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<strong>Sunday, May 5</strong><br />
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We were up, packed and at breakfast by 7:30 and on the bus by 8:30. We savored our last views of Lake Como in the morning sunshine and headed toward Verona. Our bus is big enough for a group twice our size and it is nice to have 2 seats each to spread out and travel in complete comfort. And the bus has wifi! This is our longest travel day (6 hours) but Rainer assures us that we will stop every 2 hours for creature comfort breaks.<br />
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First stop - Verona.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juliet's Balcony - Verona</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note stair motif on gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Ruins - Verona</td></tr>
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We enjoyed a walking tour, led by local guide Valeria who pointed out interesting historical sites throughout the city, Juliet's legendary balcony included. Of course this fictitious site gets more attention than the city's amazing Roman ruins. After our walk we returned to the market in progress and bought a porketta sandwich which we ate in the park. Later we took Rainer's advice and made a stop at Gelato Savoia. We kept a wary eye on the weather ( umbrella in the suitcase under the bus, of course) and the thunderstorm hit just minutes before we reached the bus! Next we wound our way up the narrow mountain road to Castelrotto where we will spend the next 2 nights, staying at Hotel Cavallino d'Oro on the main square.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell Tower in Castelrotto </td></tr>
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After we settled in to our charming room we took a brief walk around the town and discovered a perfectly manicured cemetery behind the church, where the individual graves are all framed by wrought iron and lavishly decorated with picture, flowers and candles. It didn't seem respectful to take pictures but that peaceful little cemetary will always be in my mind. Later we had a delicious steak dinner with our entire group in the hotel dining room. The apple strudel and our dining companions (Debbie and Mike) made for a memorable evening.<br />
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<strong>Monday, May 6</strong><br />
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I have heard about the Dolomites and this area is one I have been anxious to visit. I have seen the Alps on previous European trips but this area is different, characterized by light gray cliffs and spires due to the dolomite rock, similar to limestone. In the right light, the mountains almost appear pinkish. The Dolomites are a memorable mountain experience, although our visit comes at an "in between" season when winter and the skiers are gone but spring and summer have not yet arrived to produce the lush meadows characteristic of the area. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolomites - from Alpe di Siusi</td></tr>
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It was a "tummy tumbling" bus ride up the narrow winding road from Castelrotto to Alpe di Siusi where we spent a few hours enjoying the views and strolling around the mostly closed village. I bought a walking stick which I had hoped to use for a brief hike but the light drizzle and slippery paths prevented our group from doing much walking. Our local guide explained the history of the area and it's strong German influence due to years of conflict. (Castelrotto even has a German name, Kastelruth) Many people speak German as their mother language, even though they are Italian and they prefer strudel to gelato! <br />
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We also visited Ortisei, a little down the mountain where we had lunch, our daily gelato and a bit of window shopping. After returning to Castelrotto we visited the church and a few local shops, and later walked up a hilly road in search of a German restaurant. We couldn't find it and settled for dinner at a pizzeria - which was at the top of the hill. No more walking today for me!<br />
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<strong>Tuesday, May 7</strong><br />
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After breakfast at our hotel (not nearly as good as the breakfast at Villa Cipressi ) we boarded the bus for our trip down the mountain and a stop in Bolzano to see the Ice Man. Rainer helped us bid farewell to Castelrotto by playing a bit of the local music by Kastelruther Spatzen, a group formed in the 1970s that has achieved fame and is featured in an annual concert in Kastelruth that attracts huge crowds.<br />
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RS (Rick Steves, fondly referred to as "Uncle Rick" by Rainer) called Bolzano (Bozen in German) the Italian Innsbruck. I read about a famous Christmas market that is held here every year - what fun that would be!<br />
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Our main reason for stopping here is the South Tirol Museum of Archaeology where we traced the discovery of Otzi, the Ice Man and viewed his actual corpse. He was discovered in 1991 by hikers who believed they had found the corpse of a lost hiker. Scientists eventually found that Otzi was a man, perfectly preserved with his clothing and gear in the ice for over 5000 years.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim and Jeff with the Ice Man</td></tr>
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We were surprised to run into Sally and Ernie at the museum - the 2 travelers we met at JFK when our original flight was cancelled!<br />
<br />
Back on the road, we headed to Venice where we taxied to our hotel by boat called a Vaporetto . We settled in to Hotel Serenissima and took a brief orientation walk and were introduced to St. Marks Square. We had a group dinner in a courtyard - opened with a salmon carpaccio and ended with taramissu. The evening ended with a gondola ride on the canal, complete with musicians. The two couples married the longest (we were second, by 6 months!) got to ride with the musicians. It was a cheesy, but memorable evening - ok - even a bit romantic. <br />
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<strong>Wednesday, May 8</strong><br />
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We met our local guide who took us on a walking tour of Venice, timed to end in the Basilica at 11:00am when all the lights are turned on, gradually illuminating the gold mosaics and colored marble. It was a breathtaking sight!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mark's Basilica - Venice</td></tr>
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<br />
We also stopped at a local mask maker who demonstrated his craft and had on display in his shop hundreds of masks suitable for wearing at Venice's most famous festival, Carnevale - the equivalent of our Mardi Gras. (I was tempted but resisted the urge to buy one.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening stroll on the Rialto Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the mask maker's shop</td></tr>
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After lunch off the square we headed to the Doge's Palace which was the seat of Venetian government and the home of it's ruling Duke during the years of Venetian dominance. We also saw the attached prison and the "Bridge of Sighs" over which prisoners crossed and saw their last glimpse of Venice, before imprisonment. <br />
Later we walked back to the Rialto Bridge area where we shopped and I purchased a Murano glass necklace and earrings. Later we had dinner along the Grand Canal with Debbie and Mike, and Barb and Jack and enjoyed a late night stroll back to our hotel. We have heard that the best way to remember Venice is to get lost there, walking at night when the crowds are gone and the true beauty is exposed. Unfortunately we are just too tired to even get lost!<br />
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<strong>Thursday, May 9</strong><br />
<br />
We left Hotel Serenissimo and travelled by Vaporetto back to the area where our bus was parked. It was early enough in the day for us to witness the many boats coming into Venice to deliver all the goods needed by the busy city. It was a clear reminder that EVERYTHING in Venice must be brought in by boat.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duomo - Florence</td></tr>
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The bus ride to Florence took about 4 hours with a stop at the auto grill for lunch. After check in to Hotel California we took an orientation walk in Florence to get acquainted with this home of the Renaissance, birthplace of our modern world. The first glimpse of the Duomo was very inspiring since I have read so much about Brunelleschi's famous dome. It was the first dome of the Renaissance, and the model for many to follow. Later we visited the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's David, a highlight of our Italy tour. David is the ultimate symbol of the Renaissance as he stands there in all his humanistic glory. RS says "David is looking at the crude giant of medieval darkness and thinking, I can take this guy."<br />
We enjoyed a group dinner, probably my favorite - a Tuscan bread soup, pasta with a wild boar sauce, steak and a fabulous lemoncella dessert. It was guide Rainer's 36th birthday.<br />
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<strong>Friday, May 10</strong><br />
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We had an early entrance to the Uffizi Gallery which holds the greatest collection of Italian paintings anywhere. Of special note is Michelangelo's only surviving easel painting, "The Holy Family." <br />
Another memorable work is Botticelli's "Birth of Venus." After lunch we hiked high above Florence to the Piazzale Michelangelo which has great views, and even higher up to San Miniato Church where the views are even greater.<br />
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Our next stop was Grom - the much tauted gelato place that uses organic ingredients and seasonal fruit. A minor communication issue landed us 2 gigantic cups and an 11 Euro treat! Can't say I had any regrets!<br />
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Our next adventure was a city bus ride up the hill to Fiazole to enjoy even more views of Florence. Unfortunately, garbled communication again foiled us and we failed to get off the bus before it started back down the hill. Oh well, it was raining anyway and we had seen enough of Florence from the top!<br />
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Later, we were standing in front of our hotel pondering dinner and who should walk by but Sally and Ernie from our Alitalia flight #1! What a strange coincidence that we should randomly run into them a second time.<br />
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<strong>Saturday, May 11</strong><br />
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I left Florence somewhat reluctantly because I believe there are many more treasures to discover here. Perhaps I should have found a fountain, and a coin to toss over my right shoulder, to help insure a return trip?<br />
Our route to Cinque Terra took us through Lucca a charming town surrounded by a remarkable wall that has stood for over 2000 years, through Roman, medieval and Renaissance times. <br />
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Several members of our tour group rented bikes and took the ride on the wall's rim. We passed up this activity to seek out some food specialties in Lucca - cecina, a garbanzo bean crepe and buccellato, a sweet bread flavored with anise and raisins. There is a saying that if you come to Lucca and don't try buccellato, you haven't been to Lucca at all. After sampling the local gelato, we boarded the bus and headed to Cinque Terra where we caught a train for the short ride into Monterossa. Here our group split with half staying at a hotel on the harbor and the rest of us taking a steep climb up many steps to our hotel overlooking the city, Hotel Villa Steno. We have a large deck with a great view over the town and harbor.<br />
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We gathered for a pesto making demonstration before our group dinner. <br />
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<strong>Sunday, May 12. Mother's Day</strong> <br />
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Today we are free to explore the 5 Cinque Terra villages on our own - by foot, train or boat. We decided to skip the hike between Monterossa and Vernazza due to warnings about the condition of the trail, not wanting to risk injury that might ruin our trip. We took the ferry to Riomaggiore and enjoyed a strenuous climb around this little village and the magnificent views around every turn.<br />
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We picked up picnic supplies and took the train back to Monterossa, eating at the train station while we waited for the train to Vernazza. This was the village most damaged in the flood (Oct, 2011) and I have wanted to visit every since Claire was here in 2007. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vernazza</td></tr>
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<br />
We walked around (and up and down) for a few hours before catching the train back to Monterossa. Later we met our group for drinks on the upper terrace before going to a restaurant on the waterfront for their special fish stew - a tasty broth with every kind of seafood, including a whole octopus , served steaming from a big clay pot. We shared this memorable meal with Jack and Barb (from Waverly, Iowa)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes! We ate it!</td></tr>
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<strong>Monday, May 13</strong><br />
<br />
We retraced our route by train back to our bus and started for Siena, stopping first in Pisa. The initial glimpse I had of the leaning tower was a flash back to a grade school textbook where I first saw it pictured so many years ago. Situated on the "Field of Miracles" along with the Cathedral and the Baptistry, the area is alive with tourists but one of the must see sights of Italy. We had lunch in Pisa, a focaccia sandwich with a farro salad. And gelato, of course! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bright and beautiful day</td></tr>
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Rainer pointed out the beautifully green and manicured lawns that constitute the Field of Dreams but said, in his opinion later we would see even more beautiful landscape. And we did!<br />
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A few hours later we pulled off the busy highway and entered the Florence American Cemetary and Memorial. It is a splendid field of green, as far as the eye can see, dotted with uniform white crosses. This cemetary site was liberated by the US Fifth Army on August 3, 1944. The wooded hills that frame its western perimeter rise several hundred feet.
Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the
headstones of 4,402 of our military dead are arrayed in symmetrical curved rows
upon the hillside. They represent 39 percent of the U.S. Fifth Army burials
originally made between Rome and the Alps. Most died in the fighting that
occurred after the capture of Rome in June 1944. Included among them are
casualties of the heavy fighting in the Apennines Mountains shortly before the
war's end. On May 2, 1945 the enemy troops in northern Italy surrendered. It is a peaceful place and we took time on this bright and sunny day to walk among the headstones and reflect on the promise that "time will not dim the glory of their deeds." <br />
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Our next stop is Siena and the Hotel Chuisarelli which overlooks the soccer field. Fortunately no games are scheduled during our visit. Rainer led us on a walking tour after a welcome reception at the hotel. He led us to Il Campo, Siena's main square which is the heart - geographically and metaphorically of Siena. Later we met with a local guide who explained Siena's contrade system of competing neighborhoods, and especially their role in the Palio - world famous horse race held twice a year in the square. One of the contrade (the forest) hosted our group at a dinner where we saw a movie of a recent Palio and visited a museum with memorabilia from past Palios. I'm thinking we were actually a fund raiser for this neighborhood - they are always competing to raise money for the Palio. I smile now to remember how our guide kept repeating that she was a "sea shell" - a sign of the continual competition among the contrade. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountain in one of the contrade</td></tr>
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<strong>Tuesday, May 14</strong><br />
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Another local guide met us this morning and we toured the Duomo. I will remember this church for the Piccolomini Library with the most vivid frescoes I have ever seen - frescoes that have never been restored and are as brilliant as they were 550 years ago. After the tour we visited a grocery store where we picked up lunch and a bottle of wine, and returned to the hotel for a picnic on the deck. It was a welcome break from our intense touring.<br />
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After a siesta we walked a few blocks to the Dominican church dedicated to Catherine of Siena. I haven't quite grasped the concept of relics yet; this church displayed St. Catherine's head and thumb. At 6:00 we met our group in the square and walked to the studio of a local stain glass artist for a demonstration. (I bought a Rudolph Christmas ornament for Benjamin.) Jim and I walked around until we found a quiet spot for dinner but made the mistake of listening to the waiter who described the personal sized pizzas as serving one, so we ordered 2. Big mistake.<br />
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<strong>Wednesday, May 15</strong><br />
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Siena was a delight - I especially appreciated this pedestrian friendly city, rich with so much history and charm. But we are off again, destination an agriturismo outside Orvieto. Our route took us through Assisi where we spent half a day visiting this beautiful Umbrian town which was home to St. Francis. Jim and I left the group briefly and took a city bus to visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica which is built on the site where Francis lived, worked and died. We rejoined the group for a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis, which holds his remains and other relics of the Saint. RS calls this Basilica one of the artistic and religious highlights of Europe - it is the 10th largest Christian church in the world. Rich in frescoes by the leading artists of the day, the art retells many legends from the life and times of St. Francis. There is visible damage from a 1997 earthquake and the guide explained the painstakingly slow process that was used to do some restoration of damaged art. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a copy of this statue in Winona , MN </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Countryside around Assisi</td></tr>
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We continued our ride to Agriturisimo La Rocca Orvieto, a spa like resort which has it's own vineyards and olive groves, producing wine and olive oil for sale and for use at the resort. The weather is decidedly unresort- like right now, chilly and damp and there is no heat in our small "apartment" which greatly diminishes the charm of this place! We settled in and gathered later for a presentation about the on-site wine and olive oil production.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRy9WYugIk6VKl6EhPM-dMUfRRuIfEYnr4V9uc1OUsvthE1ErhI6xWxDaYY7vBIVzz-YazkA6pT8hmurjHzZWm-dIq7KaljXBrIqCe-z1s87A3H8n-MwZIVpsY2DZVKy_2nUD_7fmdyAU/s1600/IMG_2241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRy9WYugIk6VKl6EhPM-dMUfRRuIfEYnr4V9uc1OUsvthE1ErhI6xWxDaYY7vBIVzz-YazkA6pT8hmurjHzZWm-dIq7KaljXBrIqCe-z1s87A3H8n-MwZIVpsY2DZVKy_2nUD_7fmdyAU/s320/IMG_2241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine tasting</td></tr>
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We had a group dinner at the resort restaurant. I wore Jim's underwear top and socks to bed and seriously considered turning on the oven and leaving the door open for some heat! <br />
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<strong>Thursday, May 16</strong><br />
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We are staying on a hill on one side of a valley and Orvieto sits majestically atop a hill, a thousand feet above the valley floor on the other side - very picturesque. We rode a funicular to the top of the hill, and walked uphill several minutes more to enter the old town. Rainer has told us that this Duomo is one of his favorite Italian churches and it was beautiful to see, especially the frescoes in the Chapel of San Brizio to the right of the altar. <br />
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The chapel is decorated in one big cohesive story: Antichrist, end of world, resurrection, hell, Judgment Day, Jesus and finally heaven which the guide explained. We also noted the "bloody cloth" a relic which prompted the building of the church in 1290. The story is that a priest with doubt was saying mass when blood began dripping from the host, onto this cloth. When it was brought to Pope Urban IV who was visting in the area, he proclaimed a new holy day (Corpus Christi, Body of Christ) and ordered the church to be built to house the relic. We enjoyed the best gelato of the trip - cherry with chocolate chunks - at a shop just to the side of the Duomo.<br />
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Orvieto was also my favorite shopping stop. A dress in a shop window caught my eye, as well as a locally made and painted ceramic pot which now graces my kitchen table. <br />
We took a brief siesta on the cloudy and drizzly afternoon when we returned to our "resort." Dinner was a tasty orecchiette pasta with sausage and a rolled, stuffed chicken breast. <br />
The tacky souvenir contest produced a winner - Cindy won with her entry of a snow globe with the leaning tower of Pisa, riding on a Vespa. Yes, tacky but also rather cute!<br />
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<strong>Friday, May 17</strong><br />
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After breakfast we all gathered around the bus for our group photo and a chance to say goodbye to Hassan who will be leaving us when he drops us at our hotel in Rome. He has added much to our trip - always smiling, his entertaining banter with Rainer. Above all, he is a great driver and kept us safe on many roads. <br />
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We arrived at Hotel Sonya around noon and took a short walk to get lunch - pizza and salad. We then took the Metro to the Coliseum where we met our local guide, Francesca for a tour of the Coliseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. It is a lot to absorb and after walking and standing for a few hours it was a welcome relief to sit for dinner before we began our night walk in Rome, led by Rainer. We saw the Trevi Fountain (and I tossed a coin over my shoulder) and the Spanish Steps, alive with tourists. Rainer, or actually RS treated us all to gelato! <br />
After a long and exhausting day we a took the Metro back to the hotel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pantheon Dome</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coliseum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trevi Fountain</td></tr>
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<strong>Saturday, May 18</strong><br />
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One of the things I had most looked forward to - visiting the Vatican and St. Peter's - turned out to be the most disappointing experience of the trip. We got an early start, taking the Metro and then a short walk to the Vatican but there were unusually large crowd due to the announcement that St. Peter's was closing at noon for a special event. As a result our tour of the Vatican museum was crowded and rushed (we even had to skip seeing the Raphael Rooms :(. One plus was the extensive information our guide provided about the Sistine Chapel before we entered. We had ample time to view Michelangelo' s work and be awed by the brilliantly restored masterpiece. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceiling - Vatican Museum</td></tr>
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Next we slowly worked our way into the great Basilica, and into the area of Michelangelo 's Pieta and then wandered around until closing was announced and we were led out. Now that I look more carefully at RS's guide book information about the Vatican I realize how much I missed and maybe that's why I threw that coin at the Trevi Fountain - I do have a reason to return to Rome!<br />
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Tired out from our intense morning, we looked for a pizzeria for lunch, took the Metro back to our hotel and enjoyed a brief siesta. Later we walked around our neighborhood, visiting more beautiful churches. Of special note was the church of Santa Maria Maggiore which has some of Rome's best surviving mosaics. We happened to visit during a service which featured beautiful chanting in Latin. <br />
We met our group for the short walk to a restaurant for our farewell group dinner. Jim and I agree that this was one of the best dinners of the trip, especially the parmesan cheese bowl which held the first of 2 pasta courses. Many of our group, including Rainer will be leaving early tomorrow. I will always remember these people and how well we travelled together and especially Rainer's leadership. He is the epitome of guides. <br />
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<strong>Sunday, May 19</strong><br />
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It was wonderful to be able to sleep late this morning before we began our long walk to the Villa Borghese Garden and Gallery. It was a near perfect day, sunny but cool and it seemed as if all of Rome came out to enjoy the spring weather. Once we located the gallery we found a bench on which to enjoy our picnic lunch and the music of the nearby accordion player. Our gallery reservation was from 1-3 and we used every minute to enjoy the artistic treasures of the Borghese which RS calls one of Europe 's most sumptuous art experiences. There are world class sculptures as well a paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian and Rubens.<br />
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After our museum experience we set out on a long and confusing walk to find the old Jewish Ghetto, made more difficult because of map issues and Carol's shopping eye. Eventually we found it and stopped at a restaurant to sample the tradition of the Roman Jewish community, a deep fried artichoke which was served in the Roman ghetto to break the fast of Yom Kipper. The artichoke is trimmed but left whole with a stub of stem and fried upside down in oil. Our waiter instructed us to eat the whole thing! And we did. Of course it was good - it was deep fried! <br />
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Our long walk back allowed us to stumble upon interesting sites including the Victor Emmanuel Monument, Trajan's Column, and numerous ruins. <br />
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Close to our hotel, we stopped for the last meal of our Italy trip - pizza and salad. <br />
We packed one last time and set a 5:30 am wake up call.<br />
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<strong>Monday, May 20</strong><br />
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We took a cab on the 20 mile ride to the Rome airport with 4 of our travel group and checked in and cleared security with relative ease. After grabbing a bite to eat, including the best cup of coffee I have had since leaving home, we went to our gate to await boarding. Arrivederci, Italia!<br />
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Our flight was uneventful, which is what you would want a flight to be! We left about an hour late, arriving in Chicago around 2:00 but the time until we left for the Twin Cities at 7:00 passed quickly. We arrived home tired, but well satisfied by our Rick Steve's Italy tour. Steven picked us up at MSP and we dropped our suitcases at the door, and our bodies into bed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No place like home!</td></tr>
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Second Halfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14747024236744891236noreply@blogger.com0