Florentine Journey

Florentine Journey:

We arrived at the River Arno bridges again and located the section featuring the jewelry stores. They were teeny, tiny shops where more than five occupants would constitute a crowd with an oxygen deficit. The girls investigated the merchandise options, but decided that their favorites were generally rather pricey and they might fair better in NYC.

Laura was further pursuing the possibility of a purchase while Sharon, Marianne and I were more interested in finding a place to sit for a few minutes. The search for available seating is like a treasure hunt, and we eventually spotted a couple who were looking ever so comfortable on a second level balcony that overlooked the streets and shops. As a bonus, it was affiliated with a gelateria. It looked so inviting, we left Laura in the jewelry store and walked over to order a snack. The gelato servings were huge, and Marianne was being so good, ordering a fresh fruit cup instead. We loved sitting on this balcony that overlooked the constant flow of shoppers on the street below. I noticed a gathering of police on the corner, but couldn't detect any evidence of a threatening issue of any kind. The large group of officers just seemed to be hanging around.

Completing her jewelry shopping, Laura joined us and we once again set out walking. We hadn't traveled far when we approached a crowd of people who were following two young girls. These young ladies were surrounded by a camera crew and body guards. What was going on here? It seems that we had stumbled upon Snookie and Sam from The Jersey Shore reality show. Marianne had heard that they were filming in Florence, but we had no idea we would run smack into the shoot. The Jersey Shore girls stopped at a corner vendor and purchased some items as the cameras rolled.

We were fascinated and stopped to observe, taking a few photos. A large group of spectators had formed, and the crew requested that the audience not just stand there staring. The female crew member located by us kept saying, "It's going to look weird if everyone is just standing here. Sweep.....sweep..." she would say, motioning with her flailing arms to keep everyone moving and not stuck in the same spot. Most people weren't really cooperating with her requests, however. She turned to Sharon and me and said, "Look what my life has become!"

We began snapping photos, and a huge body guard positioned himself between the girls and my camera. He said, "Just take a photo of me!" So I did. I'm sure they have trouble distinguishing between the curious tourist and the serious paparazzi whose intention is to sell their photos to the tabloids. We did manage to capture a few photos in spite of their protests.

Trudging on foot back to the hotel to freshen up, we were literally putting miles on the soles of our shoes! I was wishing that I had brought my pedometer so I could see exactly how far we were walking every day. I may have said this before, but that thought frequently entered my mind.

Following a short rest, shower, and change of clothing, we began walking once again toward the area of the various piazzas to find a suitable location for dinner. We chose Il Grande Nuti, located on Via Borgo San Lorenzo, which turned out to be another lovely outdoor dining experience. Sharon and I decided on a pork steak special, just a touch dry, but not bad. Laura opted for steak and Marianne tried the salmon. Once again, the local house wine was an appealing choice.

During our after-dinner walk through the squares and piazzas, we were constantly approached by young guys who were launching these bright and sparkling whirling things they were selling. It actually became annoying because they would aim them to land right at your feet. They were pretty decent about taking no for an answer, however. Then there was the young girl selling scarves. She walked along with us, targeting Marianne to buy one of her selections, and the further we walked away from her, the lower the price became. When she reached 3 Euro, Marianne finally relented and bought the scarf. It was a nice choice, and the price was right. Frequently, we did find that with street vendors, our lack of interest could reduce the price.

By the end of the evening, we were really exhausted again. I believe it will take a few days to adjust to the jet lag/time difference issue. It's almost as though your brain is foggy--sort of like it's too difficult to concentrate on anything that involves intricate details. I found it practically painful to try to look at our map with the tiny print.

Upon returning to our hotel, we all went to our respective caves, closed our doors and settled in for the night.

Thursday, May 19, 2011:

The safe in my room wasn't functioning, so I have been using Sharon's. I called the front desk to see if they could fix it so I won't have to keep bothering Sharon every time I want to get in and out of the safe. The maintenance person diagnosed the problem and had it fixed within seconds. It needed a new battery.

The maid must have removed Sharon's wash cloth along with the towels, but she wouldn't admit it. Sharon attempted to communicate with her in hopes of having it returned, but that simply wasn't going to happen---ever. It's like the maid had no idea what Sharon was trying to convey or she's just pretending not to know. It's difficult to tell.

We ventured back to the leather market area today, purchasing some handbags, scarves, and other souvenirs. We ate a delicious light lunch in one of the restaurants behind the vendor booths. The sandwiches were on some sort of very light bread, and the ingredients were ever so fresh. It was just enough food to fill us without making us feel bloated.

There was one particular oriental scarf vendor who displayed a variety of examples of interesting scarf tying methods. With lightning speed, he could create a sophisticated look. We asked him to take it slowly and start at the beginning so we could follow his styling process and...oh dear....perhaps even remember how he accomplished this. We concurred that we would literally have to practice in order to duplicate and perfect the scarf arranging skills that he attempted to impart to us. We all talked about how we have scarves at home, but don't often bother with them because it takes too much time and effort to fuss with them to get them just right before dashing out the door.

"Don't be afraid of the scarf," Sharon offered.

"That's right--do not fear the scarf," reiterated Laura.

Tomorrow, our oldest granddaughter, Gabriella, is going with a guy friend to his Senior Prom, so I called and left her a voice mail so she would know I was thinking of her. I know she'll look gorgeous, and I wish I could see her in her gown and up-do in person. I sure hope she emails some photos to me! Although I'm having a great time in Italy, I keep thinking about her going to her first prom--and how quickly they grow up in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly I Find I'm Going to Italy

An Unexpected Trip:
At the end of March, 2011, I found that in the very near future, one of my bucket list items would soon become a reality. Two years ago during my annual "girlfriends only" sojourn to Cape May, New Jersey, we all thoughtfully developed our bucket lists--things we would love to do before we depart from this earth. The great thing about a bucket list is that it can be filled with dreams, realistic desires, and even goals that may seem impractical or unreachable, but they are uniquely yours. Several of the Cape May Girls had indicated a trip to Italy as a worthy entry on their bucket lists as we carefully annotated our choices.

By a strange twist of circumstances, here I was in April, 2011 suddenly planning a trip to Italy that would begin on May 16, 2011. It seemed more like a dream than something actually in the works, and there was some important preparation in order. Marianne, Liz, Sharon and Laura had spent several months and countless computer hours researching and plotting the details of this excursion. Now Liz was faced with a medical issue which required immediate attention and treatment, and it was necessary for her to cancel. I am the substitute for Liz as the fourth person on this journey, and so this Italian series on my new travel blog is dedicated to our dear friend, Liz, along with many prayers and much love! When I told Liz that I would be her replacement for the trip, I promised to document our entire experience so she would feel as though she was right there with us. The other girls were extremely helpful to me in recalling the highlights of each day, and I would journal about the details each night.

Liz, this is for you. And very special thanks to my husband, Fred, who wanted this trip to be one of the best events of my life.

JOURNAL

May 15, 2011:
I must be crazy. I signed up my husband and me for a couples member guest golf tournament the day before my flight leaves for Rome. Our guests, Mike and Kathy, will have to forgive me if I have no level of concentration for my golf game today. My mind keeps wandering. Have I forgotten anything of great importance for European travel?

1-Valid passport-Check. Valid is a key consideration here. The passport can't have expired or be expiring during the trip. This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised what some folks forget to review.

2-Cell phone-Check. I had paid a visit to my carrier, who was of no assistance whatsoever in my quest to be sure I would have coverage in Italy. After much Internet research, I resolved the issue by locating www.mobal.com. For a very modest price, they sent me a phone, battery, SIM card, charger, and a supply of converters to use in virtually any country. The phone is mine forever, and there is no rental or per day fee. The only charges will be for minutes used, and if one doesn't plan on lengthy, numerous calls, it is a great way to go.

Laura, Sharon & Marianne are flying to Rome from Newark, NJ because they live in upstate New York, and I am taking a short flight from Myrtle Beach, SC to Charlotte, NC to fly directly to Rome. Our flights are a couple of hours apart in arrival time, so we need to be able to connect. I have studied all of the directions on the use of this new phone and am ready. I want to be able to occasionally touch base with my mom and my husband, Fred, just to reassure them that we are fine. We have heard numerous accounts of gypsies and pick pockets in Italy, so I will want to be able to put their minds at ease. We will have email access, so I will be able to keep in touch regarding important business matters and also with my relatives.

3-Cash-Check. While we are accustomed to using our credit card to multiply points from which we have enjoyed some great vacations, I know that there will be situations where cash is easier for managing cabs, splitting the cost of meals, etc. so we are bringing some cash for that purpose. My bank recommended requesting Euros four to five days in advance, but the package of cash arrived much faster than that. The conversion rate stinks, however.

4-I-pod-Check. Charged and filled with my favorite music.

5-Nook-Check. Charged and stocked with several books I have yet to begin reading.

6-Camera-Check. Charged and all photos saved to CD. Memory stick is cleared.

7-I-pod-Ditto on the photos.

8-Packing-Oh, dear. This is really a problem. Marianne has advised us to pack lightly. We must be able to easily maneuver everything in our possession, as we will be taking trains from destination to destination throughout Italy. I've tried very hard to comply, but what if it rains? What if a cold front comes through? It's mid-May--anything can happen, and I am the queen of advance preparation. Also, I'm not very good at re-wearing any clothing without laundering.

My favorite suitcase, which you push rather than pull, wouldn't hold even half of the items I have placed on a guest room bed for packing purposes. I must re-group and bring a larger suitcase. Shoes are in issue, but I believe I have conquered the difficult decision making process by limiting my colors to black and brown. Sounds simple, yet I will need two pairs of sneakers (1 black, 1 brown), two pairs of casual shoes (same), 1 pair of cutesy flats (1 black, and I'll look for a brown pair in Italy), one pair of brown sandals and 1 pair of black Fit Flops, which are sparkly so they can be dressed up or down. Imagine if I hadn't limited my pants, capris, shorts, leggings and dress to black and brown? Yipes!

9-Notification-Check. I have notified family and friends of my itinerary and have given everyone Fred's cell number so he can be reached in case of emergency. I also notified my credit card company of the dates I would be in Italy so they will not think the charges on my account are suspicious.

10-Bills-Check. All bills that could possibly be due during my absence have been accounted for and are paid for the month.

11-Meds-Check. All vitamins, supplements, blood pressure medication, and requisite baby aspirin have been carefully counted and placed in my Monday through Sunday container, with the following week's supply in a Ziploc bag, enhanced by a few extras in case there is some bizarre delay. As mentioned above--queen of advance preparation.

12-Document storage-Check. I bought a small soft pouch from Totes that hangs around the neck and is easily tucked under the clothing. This is where I have placed my passport, credit card, driver's license and cash. The pick pockets will have to do battle with me for my shirt if they want to access my important valuables.

13-Jewelry-Check. I am leaving my good jewelry at home. No sense in tempting the gypsies!

I think I am ready to go!!!!!!

A new day in the journal, along with photos, will be posted each Monday beginning June 13, 2011. Be sure to follow so you won't miss anything exciting. There is much to tell!