Travel

I am back!!!!!!!!!!

Kathie Schmidt June 15, 2024 3Comments

I know it has been a long time. I had such a good time in Italy with my friends. Rained a lot but only ONCE on us. It would rain when we went into a museum, and it would stop when we got out.  Just the last afternoon did we get wet.  

However, two of us came home really sick. I did not move from the sofa for a week. One of my friends ended up in the emergency room, and her personal doctor said it looked like a mold reaction.  

My #1 allergy is mold.  Our last few days were in Venice, and every building in Venice is in the water. It floods constantly, so even being on the fourth floor did not keep us away from it.  I even cancelled playing bridge…so you know I was sick. All better now, but that was nasty.

So Italy is crowded, even off season. I love Italy, but so does the rest of the world, I guess. I would hate to see it this summer if it was that busy in May. The coffee is wonderful, and you just cannot duplicate it, but I try.  The black truffles, the everything….it is just an amazing place.   I do think, however, that Naples is still my very favorite place in Italy.  I love Florence also, but I spend too much money there. No one needs the number of purses I have.  But, I would say I am done with Venice. I have been a few times, and aside from the mold, it is like going to Disneyland. Ok, did that, check it off the list.  (However, offer to go with me to Harry Potter World and I am packing immediately. I have never been.)

I do have a few photos to share though.

While in Bologna, we saw that some poor young lady had lost her panties. Though we did not want to pick them or get anywhere near them, we kept in mind that we just might find the poor ventilated soul.

I want to recite, “The three little kittens lost their mittens,” but my mind goes a bit over the line on the rhyme that made it too my head.

We never did find her, but the next day we went to Lucca, and what did we find?

We found her!!! Sadly, the train ticket to pick up those panties would cost her more than they are worth, so we just kept her privacy. Well, I guess that is not true is it? lol

This is a photo of our Airbnb in Venice. We had the whole top floor. Not the place on the roof, but the actually fourth floor. It had a one person elevator that scared the snot out of me.

It was a very nice apartment with great views. Was it safe? You decide.

Seriously, I think it was safe. The top lock had to be turned until it clicked eight times. I kid you not. I don’t know if the landlord’s sense of humor was the stuffed dog as protection also.

We visited Burano, an island off Venice that is known for its lace. We saw no lace, so I think it was really known for painting each building a different color. It had a lot of character, and we spent the afternoon walking around.

I have a new favorite drink. It is a limoncello spritz. I am not a fan of limoncello. You are often served a small glass of it after your meal, but I think it tastes like lemon gasoline. But, mixed with prosecco, it makes a very refreshing drink.

I actually did not drink that many, but I am sure there will a few in my future.

I will leave you with my favorite photo from my trip. I just think it is very pretty and I might have it enlarged and frame it. It was taken the last morning in Venice as the mold was crawling slowly into our lungs.

CIAO!

I love…

Kathie Schmidt May 24, 2024 2Comments

Butts, bums, bottoms, asses and whatever you want to call them.Men’s or women’s, I think they are the sexiest part of the human body and am having the most fun photographing the statues in Florence. No weiners, just butts! I will share a few here. I will do a food blog later, probably after I roll myself home. I am someone who has always hated mushrooms, but I find myself totally in love with black truffles. I know they are only a cousin of the mushroom, but they are still a fungus. Had a lemoncello spritzer tonight. New favorite! I do love Italy, always have, but I REALLY like it. Just wish half the tourists would go home. We will address the fact that I am a complete hypocrite at some point, also. I don’t eat meat, but I have spent “a week’s burying” as Ann used to say,(That means a lot of spending!) on leather in the last two days.Well, I have rambled. On with the show!

PS. I have had so much trouble getting enough WiFi to do this, that this my last night in Italy….this trip. I will do so much more when I get home, unpack, snuggle my dog, and sleep. Great trip.

I will end with a picture of Lu struggling while I have been gone. Poor thing.

CIAO BELLA

Kathie Schmidt May 17, 2024 9Comments

Hello from Florence,Italy. Weather is great, though it does rain about a half hour a day. So far, my favorite meal was pasta with olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. I had two aperole spritzers the first day with no sleep and very little to eat. THAT was a mistake! Have not had one since.

We walked all over yesterday and the highlight was a Lindt chocolate…not even Italian but who cares, it is Lindt. Yes, we bought some!! I allowed myself to be photographed, which you know I rarely do. I always look gassy.

We walked the Ponte Vecchio, along with a thousand other people, and the views were beautiful.

While walking around we saw a shop called The Iris Gallery. They take a photo of your eye while shining a light into it. It show the color of your Iris that you never see. She commented that I must have blue eyed family members, which I do. I am brown eyed. My Iris has blue around the edges! Then they print and frame it for you. They added what is outside the Iris.

Amazing isn’t?

I have to say, typing on this little IPad is a pain. I think there will be more pictures this trip than words…or punctuation.

We went to the Uffizi Gallery today. Each room had its own guard whose duty was to keep the priceless items safe.

Sweet dreams.