We just returned from our first trip to Italy last night. The flight back gave us ample time to start planning our return trip for May 2004. We absolutely loved italy, the people, the countryside, the food, the wine, the crowds,the history and everything about it. We have no negatives to our trip other than we needed more time. I will post a detailed travel report in the next few days.All of the info I recieved here was a huge help in all of our travel plans. The food suggestions were perfect. The ine info from Dean was the best and we brought home 16 bottles.That is all for now and it may take a few days to make my report as detailed as I would like it to be. I purchased a journal prior to leaving and wrote over 60 pages of info.
To all of the "fodorites" we met on May 23rd for a glass of wine that soon became dinner. Thanks you all and it was such a pleasure spending time with each of you.Monica you did a great job of setting that up.Thanks..We loved your Mom!! Amazing so many were from Florida..The link below is long but will get you tons of pics I took...

http://pak01.pictures.aol.com/NASApp...ViewFromEmails

Gary welcome to the I LOVE ITALY CLUB!
I will look forward to your report, I'm really curious how you got 16 bottles of wine home, please tell me how you did it.If you were in Florence and have any rec.'s for wine shops etc. please do tell.
Welcome home, now a part of you will always be in Italy
Fluffy

Gary and all... Happy you did meet in Venice. We had a wonderful time there too, and I am in serious Italy withdrawal right now. Arrived home late Friday night and I'm still going up and down those little bridges. Thinking May 2004, or Sept 2003 to return. Wasn't the weather great!! Welcome to the club.

Fluffy, I drove through the Chianti region stopping along the way in little off the beaten path wine shops, grecery stores and wineriries buying 1 or 2 bottless at a time so I can't help much with that. As far as how I got them home..There is a incredible indoor food market in Florence.I wnet there and founf styrofaom wine boxes that helpd 3 bottles each. I purchase 4 for 1 Euro each. I then went to a office supply store and bought a roll of packing tape and tape the 4 containers together.It worked like a charm .I also had a box with a handle from one wine shop that held 4 bottles. I carried that one on the plane and checked in the 12 bottle box.It shipped just fine. Mike declared 8 bottles and so did I and we had no problem at customs and did not have to pay anything either.We had a rental car up to arriving in Venice so I kept the wine in the car. It was kinda of a pain carrying it to the Hotel in Vencie and then back to the airport for departure, but for all the nice wines we got it was surely worth it.

Hiya Peggyann, I am glad your trip was great also and yes the weather was perfect. We had 2 little showers but being from South Florida we are used to them. The little showers seemed to clear some of the lines so we loved them. I got a great laugh at how quick the guys came out selling umbrellas after 45 seconds of rain.. Where were they hiding with all those umbrellas?LOL
I would love to go back in October when so many festivals are going on and all of the wineries are showcasing their products..I can relate to the withdrawl...

Just back last night. Can't sleep. We only brought back 5 bottles of wine but BA would not take them as luggage even tho they were in professional wine styrofoam box which we had plastic security wrapped and we went business class. But ok for carry on. We also had great time (lots of American in Italy) and would go back tomorrow...too tired today.

Buon giorno Gary, Glad you had such a great time. Will be looking for your report later. Welcome to the Club.

Gary,thanks for the info. I usually buy so many things in Italy, I bring an extra suit case, do you think the styrofoam containers would fit in a dullfle bag, type of suit case?
I will look for the in door food market in Florence, I'm sure its a fun place to checkout anyway.
I'll be in Italy in Sept. it seems too far off.
Glad you had such a great time
la dolce Italy
Fluffy

Gary, I am delighted to hear it all went so well. As Bob said, "welcome to the club", and I'm really looking forward to reading your trip report!

BC

Hiya BC and Bob,
It is a club that I am pleased to have joined. What a wonderful country.
Bob I also had the pleasure of meeting Monica from Maryland. She is one neat lady!! Her Mom was great too!!

Garynfla, I'm so glad to hear you had a great first time in Italy. I'm going for MY first time in September. I absolutely can't wait!

I'd love to look at your pictures, but I'm having trouble with the link you posted. When I paste it into my browser, it takes me to a page that asks for a user name and password. Is anyone else having this problem?

Jennie

Yes, Jennie, I am also having the same problem. Would love to view the photos.

Hi:
I am glad you had such a great time. I am about the join "the club"
I am in the process of putting my Spring 2004 trip together.
Your information has been very helpful. I look forward to your trip report.

Gary, looking forward to your report. My husband and I are also Italy lovers and are planning our third trip for May 2004.

I am not sure why some are not able to view the pics. if you have AOL e-mail me and I will send the link..
[email protected]

BC.. can I send you my report first to have it edited? LOL

Hi Gary,
It was nice meeting with you and the gang in Venice on the 23rd. We look forward to your report and will do one ourselves shortly. It has been very difficult going back to work after 2 weeks in Italy. I better do some work, though, so I can afford to go back.

Tom & Teresa of Orlando

Gary,
*LOL* Any time at all!!!

BC

Hi Gary

Can't wait to read your report! Will you post it on a new thread so we don't have to scan each line back and forth due to the long URL above? (I'm assuming the message on everyone's browser is too wide to fit the page)

Gary,

couldn't access your photos.....do we need a password? give more info.....thanks, can't wait to hear about your trip. we are going to italy for a month in july for our honeymoon....so excited!!!

josh