How Do You Know They Are Not Killers? — An Italy Trip Report
May 23rd, 2011, 08:39 PM
#122
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Same Shutterfly site, but scroll down for some new videos of Venice and Siena.
http://ellenem.shutterfly.com/
http://ellenem.shutterfly.com/
May 24th, 2011, 05:25 PM
#123
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
DAY 19: Thursday, 7 April 2011 – Florence to NYC
The Last Little Bit
There’s not much more to tell. R and I have a morning like most mornings. I have my final mozzarella breakfast. Soon enough it’s 10 AM, and R and I head to the bus stop. The #17 arrives, we hug goodbye with promises of future visits, and I am by myself on the bus to the center. At Firenze SMN train station, it takes me two seconds to decide on a taxi to the airport rather than the bus. It is a quick ride and I didn’t even note the cost though I recall through a mist of memory a cost of less than 15€.
Florence Airport is very small and does not have international flights to the U.S. I’m pretty early for my flight to Paris, but I don’t care. I prefer to be early and sit calmly with a book than to rush and fear missing a flight. In pre-high-security pre-2001 days, on the way to catch an international flight from JFK, we got stuck in the worst traffic jam ever. We had planned to be there two hours ahead but arrived at our terminal 20 minutes before take-off as nervous wrecks. We ran through the airport to our gate, walked on the airplane, and they shut the door. Never again. At check-in, an agent helps me switch from my middle-middle seat to a side aisle seat for my Paris-NYC flight. Arriving early meant there were still aisle seats remaining.
The flight is uneventful and the transfer to another terminal at CDG is straightforward. Since it has two levels, the Airbus A380 loads through two doors. This is a giant airplane with roomy overhead storage since it is not truncated by the curvature of the fuselage on the lower level where I’m sitting. Personal entertainment monitors and beverages available all the time make the long flight pass comfortably. I note that my former seat is in the row with the crying baby. It takes while to unload so many passengers, but I speed through the maze of corridors and then immigration.
I left warm weather in Florence — it’s cold and rainy here — where is spring? And where’s the closest place to buy a mozzarella for tomorrow’s breakfast?
EPILOGUE:
As we review our vacation photos on my return, P says the “worst” moment of our trip was the bad dessert choice on Day 6.
For those who wonder about costs, P and I split the cost of hotel, meals, admissions, and transport since we did everything together. We collected our receipts as we went and did the accounting later. When P totalled the expenses for our 8 days/8 nights in Venice, we spent $320 per day for two adults for everything except souvenirs. (1€ averaged at $1.42) About half of that total was the hotel cost, so meals, admissions, and transport cost us about $160 per day for two adults, or $80 per person per day.
Expenses in Florence were minimal because R is a generous friend who feeds me well and provides a free place to stay. I just hope I have the opportunity to return the favor soon.
This was a really good trip. Thanks for joining me.
The Last Little Bit
There’s not much more to tell. R and I have a morning like most mornings. I have my final mozzarella breakfast. Soon enough it’s 10 AM, and R and I head to the bus stop. The #17 arrives, we hug goodbye with promises of future visits, and I am by myself on the bus to the center. At Firenze SMN train station, it takes me two seconds to decide on a taxi to the airport rather than the bus. It is a quick ride and I didn’t even note the cost though I recall through a mist of memory a cost of less than 15€.
Florence Airport is very small and does not have international flights to the U.S. I’m pretty early for my flight to Paris, but I don’t care. I prefer to be early and sit calmly with a book than to rush and fear missing a flight. In pre-high-security pre-2001 days, on the way to catch an international flight from JFK, we got stuck in the worst traffic jam ever. We had planned to be there two hours ahead but arrived at our terminal 20 minutes before take-off as nervous wrecks. We ran through the airport to our gate, walked on the airplane, and they shut the door. Never again. At check-in, an agent helps me switch from my middle-middle seat to a side aisle seat for my Paris-NYC flight. Arriving early meant there were still aisle seats remaining.
The flight is uneventful and the transfer to another terminal at CDG is straightforward. Since it has two levels, the Airbus A380 loads through two doors. This is a giant airplane with roomy overhead storage since it is not truncated by the curvature of the fuselage on the lower level where I’m sitting. Personal entertainment monitors and beverages available all the time make the long flight pass comfortably. I note that my former seat is in the row with the crying baby. It takes while to unload so many passengers, but I speed through the maze of corridors and then immigration.
I left warm weather in Florence — it’s cold and rainy here — where is spring? And where’s the closest place to buy a mozzarella for tomorrow’s breakfast?
EPILOGUE:
As we review our vacation photos on my return, P says the “worst” moment of our trip was the bad dessert choice on Day 6.
For those who wonder about costs, P and I split the cost of hotel, meals, admissions, and transport since we did everything together. We collected our receipts as we went and did the accounting later. When P totalled the expenses for our 8 days/8 nights in Venice, we spent $320 per day for two adults for everything except souvenirs. (1€ averaged at $1.42) About half of that total was the hotel cost, so meals, admissions, and transport cost us about $160 per day for two adults, or $80 per person per day.
Expenses in Florence were minimal because R is a generous friend who feeds me well and provides a free place to stay. I just hope I have the opportunity to return the favor soon.
This was a really good trip. Thanks for joining me.
May 25th, 2011, 04:05 AM
#124
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ADDRESS BOOK
VENICE
Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo
S. Croce 2063, off Salizzada San Stae
041.5244797
www.alpontemocenigo.com
Boutique del Gelato
Castello 5727, Salizzada San Lio
Open daily. Closed Dec-Jan.
Gelateria Alaska
S. Croce 1159, Calle Larga dei Bari
9 am-1 pm & 3-8 pm
Gelateria Suso
San Marco 5453/A, Calle de la Bissa
Gelateria Il Doge
Dorsoduro 3058a, Campo Santa Margherita
Gelateria Ca’ D’Oro
Cannaregio 4273, Strada Nova just west of the Campo SS Apostoli
Muro Venezia San Stae – Pizza & Cucina
Santa Croce 2048, Campiello dello Spezier
041.5241628 – Closed Tuesday
Orange Restaurant and Lounge
Dorsoduro 3054/a, Campo Santa Margherita
Osteria alla Botte
San Marco 5482, Calle de la Bissa
041.5209775 – Open 12.00-14.45, 19.00-22.00
Osteria Enoteca San Barnaba
Dorsoduro 2736, Calle Lunga San Barnaba
041.5212754 – Closed Wednesday and Thursday
Osteria Trattoria “Al Nono Risorto”
S. Croce 2337, Sottoportego di Siora Bettina
041.5241169 – Closed Wednesday
Osteria “La Zucca”
S. Croce 1762, Calle del Tintor
041.5241570 – Closed Sunday
Pasticceria “Boscolo Anna”
Cannaregio 1818, Campiello dell'Anconetta (Strada Nuova, near S. Marcuola)
Pizzeria/Trattoria Al Vecio Canton
Castello 4738a, South end of Ruga
041.5287143 – Closed Tuesdays
Ristorante Pizzeria “Casin dei Nobili”
Dorsoduro 2756, NEAR
041.2411841 – Closed Monday
Ristorante “Vecio Fritolin”
S. Croce 2262, Calle della Regina
39.041.5222881 – www.veciofritolin.it
Trattoria “al Ponte del Megio”
S. Croce 1666, Calle Larga
041.719777
Trattoria “Antica Mola”
Cannaregio 2800, Fondamenta Misericordia
041.717492
Trattoria Ca’ d’Oro “Alla Vedova”
Cannaregio 3912, Ramo Ca’ d’Oro
041.5285324 – Closed Thursday and August
FLORENCE
Caffetteria delle Oblate
Via dell’Oriuolo, 26 (or enter at Via S. Egidio 21-23)
055.2639685
Osteria “Belle Donne”
Via delle Belle Donne, 16/R
055.2382609
Trattoria “Da Ruggiero”
Via Senese, 89/R
055.220542
Festival Del Gelato
Via del Corso, 75R
Il Gelato do Filo
Via San Miniato, 5R
POGGIO A CAIANO
Osteria Da I’ Peruzzi
Via Cancellieri, 29
055.8798692 – closed Monday
SIENA
Santuario Santa Caterina Hotel “Alma Domus”
Via Camporegio, 37
0577.44487 – www.hotelalmadomus.it
Osteria la Chiacchera
Costa di San Antonio, 4
0577.280631
Trattoria Papei
Piazza del Mercato, 6
0577.280894
Pizzeria di Nonno Mede
Via Camporegio, 21
0577.247966
Pizzeria 4 Cantoni
Piazza Postierla, 5
0577.281067
Gelateria Brivido
Via dei Pellegrini, 1
Gelateria KopaKabana
Via dei Rossi, 52/54
Gelateria Super Panna
Via Banchi di Sotto, 27
VENICE
Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo
S. Croce 2063, off Salizzada San Stae
041.5244797
www.alpontemocenigo.com
Boutique del Gelato
Castello 5727, Salizzada San Lio
Open daily. Closed Dec-Jan.
Gelateria Alaska
S. Croce 1159, Calle Larga dei Bari
9 am-1 pm & 3-8 pm
Gelateria Suso
San Marco 5453/A, Calle de la Bissa
Gelateria Il Doge
Dorsoduro 3058a, Campo Santa Margherita
Gelateria Ca’ D’Oro
Cannaregio 4273, Strada Nova just west of the Campo SS Apostoli
Muro Venezia San Stae – Pizza & Cucina
Santa Croce 2048, Campiello dello Spezier
041.5241628 – Closed Tuesday
Orange Restaurant and Lounge
Dorsoduro 3054/a, Campo Santa Margherita
Osteria alla Botte
San Marco 5482, Calle de la Bissa
041.5209775 – Open 12.00-14.45, 19.00-22.00
Osteria Enoteca San Barnaba
Dorsoduro 2736, Calle Lunga San Barnaba
041.5212754 – Closed Wednesday and Thursday
Osteria Trattoria “Al Nono Risorto”
S. Croce 2337, Sottoportego di Siora Bettina
041.5241169 – Closed Wednesday
Osteria “La Zucca”
S. Croce 1762, Calle del Tintor
041.5241570 – Closed Sunday
Pasticceria “Boscolo Anna”
Cannaregio 1818, Campiello dell'Anconetta (Strada Nuova, near S. Marcuola)
Pizzeria/Trattoria Al Vecio Canton
Castello 4738a, South end of Ruga
041.5287143 – Closed Tuesdays
Ristorante Pizzeria “Casin dei Nobili”
Dorsoduro 2756, NEAR
041.2411841 – Closed Monday
Ristorante “Vecio Fritolin”
S. Croce 2262, Calle della Regina
39.041.5222881 – www.veciofritolin.it
Trattoria “al Ponte del Megio”
S. Croce 1666, Calle Larga
041.719777
Trattoria “Antica Mola”
Cannaregio 2800, Fondamenta Misericordia
041.717492
Trattoria Ca’ d’Oro “Alla Vedova”
Cannaregio 3912, Ramo Ca’ d’Oro
041.5285324 – Closed Thursday and August
FLORENCE
Caffetteria delle Oblate
Via dell’Oriuolo, 26 (or enter at Via S. Egidio 21-23)
055.2639685
Osteria “Belle Donne”
Via delle Belle Donne, 16/R
055.2382609
Trattoria “Da Ruggiero”
Via Senese, 89/R
055.220542
Festival Del Gelato
Via del Corso, 75R
Il Gelato do Filo
Via San Miniato, 5R
POGGIO A CAIANO
Osteria Da I’ Peruzzi
Via Cancellieri, 29
055.8798692 – closed Monday
SIENA
Santuario Santa Caterina Hotel “Alma Domus”
Via Camporegio, 37
0577.44487 – www.hotelalmadomus.it
Osteria la Chiacchera
Costa di San Antonio, 4
0577.280631
Trattoria Papei
Piazza del Mercato, 6
0577.280894
Pizzeria di Nonno Mede
Via Camporegio, 21
0577.247966
Pizzeria 4 Cantoni
Piazza Postierla, 5
0577.281067
Gelateria Brivido
Via dei Pellegrini, 1
Gelateria KopaKabana
Via dei Rossi, 52/54
Gelateria Super Panna
Via Banchi di Sotto, 27
Jun 2nd, 2011, 11:09 AM
#134
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hsv, I didn't notice any humming, but no one claimed Las Vegas as home if that's an indication.
Thanks again to everyone for their kind comments and support, and staying with me during the writing of this report.
Thanks again to everyone for their kind comments and support, and staying with me during the writing of this report.
Jun 2nd, 2011, 09:26 PM
#136
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jun 14th, 2011, 01:31 PM
#138
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 741
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ellenem,
I loved your report. I'm glad I will be in Venice at the end of August.
Did you notice whether the Campanile on Torcello was closed when you were there? I have heard rumors to that effect.
I loved your report. I'm glad I will be in Venice at the end of August.
Did you notice whether the Campanile on Torcello was closed when you were there? I have heard rumors to that effect.
Jun 14th, 2011, 01:37 PM
#139
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Delaine,
Glad you enjoyed the report.
The campanile had a lot of scaffolding around it, from bottom to top, so I suspect it is still closed, though I did not approach it so can't say for sure.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Glad you enjoyed the report.
The campanile had a lot of scaffolding around it, from bottom to top, so I suspect it is still closed, though I did not approach it so can't say for sure.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
