This is my first trip report, albeit my fourteenth trip to Italy (yes, I'm addicted), so please pardon the wordiness, as there may be several instalments. I am beginning to explore less well-trodden parts of Italy as I deepen my appreciation for this chaotically fabulous country.

Saturday, May 21

Flew Houston - London Gatwick - Pisa on British Airways, which has a great connection, leaving Houston 4 pm, arriving Pisa by 11:10 am the next morning. Since I was getting set to ride a bicycle from Bologna to Venice (with van support and some "boosts&quot I spent the first four nights in my favorite Ligurian seaside town, Santa Margherita ("SML&quot. The ride from Pisa airport/train station took 2.5 hours, not bad. By 3:30 pm I was safely ensconced in my tiny but lovely single room at the Grand Hotel Miramare with a sea view balcony for those jet-lagged hours spent tracking departing fishing boats at 4 am. Fascinating!

A fellow Canadian I met at the local Co-op recommended the best place for pizza in town, and it turned out to be the best place for just about anything I ate, except gelato. The pizzeria/ristorante is called "Al Baffo" (literally "At the Moustache&quot. It is away from the port on Corso Matteotti, #54 or 56, but well worth the 10 min. hike up there. One night I shared a seafood risotto with an Australian couple - absolutely delicious. The grilled vegetables were the best of the entire trip. We all came back the following night for Santa Margherita pizza, which we knew would be good because all the locals were picking up their takeout orders. Thee was a long list of pizza varieties on offer. I never paid more than 20 Euros for a main course, side, mineral water and 1/4 liter of wine. The third night Al Baffo was closed so I tried a Frommer recommendation near the seaport. It was satisfactory but the food didn't come close to Al Baffo, a typical family-run affair. Go there (closed Tuesdays).

I am also a gelato buff. The locals recommended "Micky" on the main seaside drive as the best in town. It was very good indeed. I tried the coconut and pistacchio flavors.

Days were spent taking the mandatory boat ride to Portofino (which I had visited once before), and thence to the San Fruttuoso Abbey, which I recommend if you have the time. It is only accessible by water or on foot. There is another ferry from Portofino to Camogli, a less touristy, picturesque fishing village a little further up the coast which I found totally delightful.

It is also possible to day trip to the Cinque Terre from SML, but I had spent five nights there last September, so I confined myself to the immediate area.

On May 26 I left SML for Parma, a city I had never visited. The 11:40 am train requires only one change at Voghera to arrive in Parma by 2:15 pm. For the first time I decided to rent an apartment to see what it would be like to "live" like an Italian. I have been studying the language privately and have an intermediate knowledge, so I figured I could go to the food markets and shop independently (I enjoy fine food but am by no means a good cook). I also e-mailed ahead to the Academia Barilla, and a private tour was arranged for Friday morning (see their website for classes, etc.)

My apartment turned out to be a glorious one-bedroom affair at the 15th century Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati (google it) which has already been described in correspondence with "DAX" in this forum. I paid 160 Euros a night (the splurge of the trip) for a view of the Baptistry on the same square as the Duomo. The location cannot be beat. Owner Vittorio was most helpful making restaurant and shopping recommendations.

I ate out two evenings, both of which were outstanding, but not for those on a limited budget. Vittorio recommended "La Greppia" as the best restaurant in Parma. The gracious waiter allwoed me to order half-portions ("mezza - portioni&quot of everything so I could try more specialties. If you can, don't miss the culatello ham (even better than Parma, I think) and the home-made pasta at this fine establishment. I tried a mouth-watering tortelloni course with two stuffings: pumpkin, and herbed ricotta - swimming in butter yet unbelievably light. For dessert I had my first taste of extra-old balsamic vinegar from Modena, which was served with parmesan cheese wedges - an explosion of flavor. I vowed to buy some in Modena after my bicycle trip.

This concludes Pt. 1 of my trip report. Must I start a new thread, or can I reply to this one later?

reply to this same thread so we can keep up with you!

Topping!

On my first (but not last, I hope) trip to Italy I fell in love with Bologna and the food of Emilio Romagna. Thanks for the detailed report. You are making my mouth water and my heart long for another visit!

Enjoyed reading your report and waiting for you to continue to Ferrara. I envy your dinner at La Greppia, it was closed for two days when we got to Parma. It seems that the palazzo suite rate varied with length of stay as we paid 20 euros more, it was still worth it.

Hi G,

Very interesting report. Thanx.

You were in SML for 4 days and only had two flavors of gelato?

Well Gariem, for your first trip report you are doing an amazing report. It is a wonderful read! And my mouth is watering. I too enjoy being in the lesser known or at least less visited areas of Italy. I look forward to your next segment.

Gariem, please keep your report coming. We are going to Emilia-Romagna and the Veneto later this year and I'm taking notes on your recommendations.

We're not as ambitious as you, though -- to bicycle off all those delectable calories you consumed. I'm impressed!

Emilia Romagna - Part 2 Thank you all for your encouragement.

DAX, your apartment "Lucrezia" in Parma has the best view of the piazza; hence the price differential, I believe. I also asked for the "single" rate - it never hurts to try.

Ira, yes, only two flavors in SML, but there were more elsewhere! At La Greppia in Parma my dessert was a divine ginger gelato with rose marmelade sauce (as in the flower!)

My second evening out in Parma was also memorable. Vittorio sent me to a local hotel called "Daniel" on the other side of the river (really a stream). Its restaurant is called "Cocchi," and is family run. Please note it is closed Saturday night, an unusual night off. I took an inexpensive bus ride from the center of town to get there (no car on this trip). The address is via Gramsci 16. See www.parmacucina.com and chef Mario Batali's recommendation at the www.babbonyc.com site.

I got adventurous and ordered the veal "cheek," which is simmered for six hours, and it was delicious. My pasta dish was another traditional Parmesan variety, but I can't find my notes at this time. For dessert I ordered the absolutely BEST crema gelato I have ever tasted in my whole life, and that's saying something. Mama makes it fresh in the kitchen every day, and it's as smooth as silk, with a buttery color from all those egg yolks, yet not too sweet for my palate - WOW!

For breakfast and lunch I went to markets and one particularly memorable take-out, of which there are many in Parma. Check out Salumeria Garibaldi at via Garibaldi 42. The staff is most helpful and will let you sample before you buy. The salumeria at via Verdi 6 is also supposed to be excellent, but I ran out of time.

To be continued....I did do some sight-seeing in Parma, believe it or not, but I have to get back to work!

OOOOH, please come back and finish your report...

j