We Didn't Drink ALL the Vino! Maitaitom's Italy Uncensored
Nov 2nd, 2005 | 04:20 PM
#241
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Possibly the chicken sandwiches are so good because of the bread in Italy. It is not possible to get the same kind of bread here in the US even if it is baked by Italians with the good Italian receipes. Our flour, water etc. is different.
I eat sandwiches but not overly enthused about them but in Italy I love the sandwiches! Again I truly believe it is the various breads. Just my thought.
Now Tom, more of your trip report please..it is so enjoyable.
I eat sandwiches but not overly enthused about them but in Italy I love the sandwiches! Again I truly believe it is the various breads. Just my thought.
Now Tom, more of your trip report please..it is so enjoyable.
Nov 2nd, 2005 | 05:29 PM
#242
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,647
Likes: 21
<b> DAY 16 - GALILEO GIVES KIM AND MARY THE FINGER, A MUSEUM OFF THE BEATEN PATH, THE ELUSIVE CHICKEN SANDWICH, RACING FOR THE SUNSET, MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT OF THE TRIP
AND
INTRODUCING DAN AND LINDA SHARING TRAGIC TALES OF A SUNKEN CAMERA AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE FISH IN THE WORLD </b>
We all woke up late, and, the couples went our separate ways to a couple of lesser-known Florence attractions. Kim and Mary went to the Museo di Storia del Scienza. The one reason I almost went there was to see one of the museum’s more offbeat attractions, Galileo’s finger (Let’s see if you drop a finger and a hand from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, will they….).
Tracy and I decided to visit the Chapel and Museum San Marco. While in the chapel, I believe I was scammed by the old Fake-Priest trick. He was sitting inside in priest-like garb (hey, I’m a Presbyterian, what do I know?) After I gave him a two euro donation, he opened up his priest outfit and showed me an “I Love the USA” pin. Oh well, I hope he spent it wisely.
The museum was fantastic with interesting frescoes by Fra Angelico, and we saw the tiny rooms where monks lived in the old days. This is a museum in desperate need of an audio tour, but I highly recommend it, and buy the eight euro book first. The tour is only four euros.
Then came another Tom Moment of Terror. I looked at my watch and it was 11:30 am. The chicken sandwiches had been waiting for us for ½ an hour. We hustled over to Café Giacosa, and there was only one left. We bought it, and took it to the nearby bridge. Trading bites, it was if we were about to lose a long lost member of the family, so before the ultimate demise, I got the camera out and shot a picture of the half eaten sandwich with its Cage Giacosa wrapping.
We strolled along the Arno on another beautiful Florence day, went over to the church of Santa Croce where Galileo (sans one finger) is interred. When we got back to the THG, the clothes were still a little wet, so we took them to the Laundromat down the street and dried them.
We got back to the room and soon we heard a knock. Mary told us that they had run into our friends Dan and Linda (“hey aren’t you..” ) in front of the hotel, and they were now in the lobby. Dan and Linda had gone to Oktoberfest in Munich and then trained to Salzburg and Venice before meeting us here. Besides wanting to say hello, we were interested in La Calcina in Venice, our hotel the next three nights after we were to leave Florence. They had stayed for three nights, and they loved it.
They were in good spirits, except that Linda also had the cough from Hell on the trip. Dan and Linda eased into the wine and cheese thing in a hurry, and the four of us along with Mary downed some vino. Kim was on his international cell doing some work. Little did I know that in about 15 minutes, I’d be huffing and puffing like I was going to have a heart attack.
Kim came out from his work mode and said, “Hey, it’s getting dark, aren’t we going to go down to the Arno and take some sunset pictures?” We had talked about this earlier, but I had completely forgotten (sort of like the chicken sandwich).
It was time for speed walking. I’ve known Kim since we were freshmen in college in 1970, and we weren’t all that fast in those days. On the vacation, he and Tracy usually walk at a slower pace while Mary and I blaze the trail. Not today.
Kim started walking faster than Karl Rove trying to dodge a subpoena. Then it was more of a sprint (well, an old man’s sprint) toward the Arno. We passed Santa Croce on the left, and after a quick wave to Galileo, it was down to the river. We took some shots of the Ponte Vechio, but Kim (aka Jessie Owens), had just begun. We walked at a brisk pace to the Ponte Vecchio and took some really neat sunset shots from there. At this point, Dan and Linda were probably wondering what they were getting into by hooking up with this bunch.
While Tracy sat out Pisa the day before, she had discovered a little restaurant near the Duomo called Ristorante Il Caminetto, and I made nine o’clock reservations with the owner previously on this day. I was excited because I had only spoken Italian to him (ok, with a little help from a waiter), and reserved a table on the patio for six. I had hoped I had said all the right things and had not booked a table for Christmas.
Sure enough, our table was ready at 9 pm, and this turned out to be my favorite restaurant on the trip. The inside of the restaurant is very charming, but the evening was nice (a little chilly, but they have heat lamps) and we had really wanted to dine outside.
My meal was as good as it got on the trip, and that includes Ristoro di Lamole along with Cane & Gatto in Siena. I started off with the pumpkin risotto, which was absolutely unbelievable (Tracy has a recipe she is going to share with the board in the next few days).
The waiter was very excited when I ordered the evening’s special the beef del Imprunetta (that might be a little off, but the 9 euro, one litre wines were going fast and furious this night). The dish is a peppery beef stew in a Chianti sauce that they don’t serve very often, but he felt it was the best dish of the night, and it was.
Not that anyone had a bad meal, but my two dishes were spectacular, so it became my Numero Uno restaurant of the trip. It was so good that Dan and Linda ate there two nights later, and said it was just as terrific. Total cost for the six of is was 168 euro.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot the incredible side dish. The roasted rosemary potatoes here are incredible. The table ordered extra helpings. Sort of like the chicken sandwich, it doesn’t sound that spectacular, but take my word for it, if you go here, order them.
During the evening Dan and Linda regaled us with stories from their trip to Oktoberfest, Salzburg and Venice. They had quite a fun time at Oktoberfest and fell in love with Salzburg.
It seemed that Dan was having a little trouble with cameras, however. His digital had bit the dust before he got to Venice, so wanting to take some pictures while there, he bought a little disposable camera to take up the slack. He was nearing the end of the role at the Bridge of Sighs. As he positioned himself for his final picture, one of the women on their first part of the journey accidentally hit his elbow. Needless to say, Dan has no pictures of Venice and the canal has another tourist souvenir camera. As it turned out, Sighs mattered!
But that was not his costliest moment. After departing the train in Venice, Dan and his group were a hungry bunch, and they saw a restaurant as they departed the train station. He ordered the turbot, and, he said it was a nice piece of fish.
Unfortunately for Danno, he had not noticed that the fish was sold by the gram, and this fish must have had a hell of a lot of grams, because it cost our fine diner a total of $200 Euro for his fish dish. He said it was fruitless to argue, and he actually had a good laugh over it. Well, probably not right at that moment.
“You know, I don’t think I can ever eat a piece of turbot for the rest of my life, “ Dan told us at dinner.
I replied, “Look at the bright side. You fish was less expensive than our tank of gas in Gubbio.” Vino, at a good price, can make anything seem humorous.
NOTE: Dan called this evening and could not find the receipt (I feel his pain), but did say they will look it up tomorrow and get me the info.
Back at the hotel, Dan said he would get up early to say good-bye before we headed to the train for Venice the next morning. Linda made no such promise knowing they would hook up with us for the last three days of the trip in Rome.
<b> TOMORROW – SUNNY VENEZIA, UP ON THE ROOF, THE FOUR SEASONS WITHOUT FRANKIE VALLI AND REALLY, REALLY THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE FISH </b>
AND
INTRODUCING DAN AND LINDA SHARING TRAGIC TALES OF A SUNKEN CAMERA AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE FISH IN THE WORLD </b>
We all woke up late, and, the couples went our separate ways to a couple of lesser-known Florence attractions. Kim and Mary went to the Museo di Storia del Scienza. The one reason I almost went there was to see one of the museum’s more offbeat attractions, Galileo’s finger (Let’s see if you drop a finger and a hand from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, will they….).
Tracy and I decided to visit the Chapel and Museum San Marco. While in the chapel, I believe I was scammed by the old Fake-Priest trick. He was sitting inside in priest-like garb (hey, I’m a Presbyterian, what do I know?) After I gave him a two euro donation, he opened up his priest outfit and showed me an “I Love the USA” pin. Oh well, I hope he spent it wisely.
The museum was fantastic with interesting frescoes by Fra Angelico, and we saw the tiny rooms where monks lived in the old days. This is a museum in desperate need of an audio tour, but I highly recommend it, and buy the eight euro book first. The tour is only four euros.
Then came another Tom Moment of Terror. I looked at my watch and it was 11:30 am. The chicken sandwiches had been waiting for us for ½ an hour. We hustled over to Café Giacosa, and there was only one left. We bought it, and took it to the nearby bridge. Trading bites, it was if we were about to lose a long lost member of the family, so before the ultimate demise, I got the camera out and shot a picture of the half eaten sandwich with its Cage Giacosa wrapping.
We strolled along the Arno on another beautiful Florence day, went over to the church of Santa Croce where Galileo (sans one finger) is interred. When we got back to the THG, the clothes were still a little wet, so we took them to the Laundromat down the street and dried them.
We got back to the room and soon we heard a knock. Mary told us that they had run into our friends Dan and Linda (“hey aren’t you..” ) in front of the hotel, and they were now in the lobby. Dan and Linda had gone to Oktoberfest in Munich and then trained to Salzburg and Venice before meeting us here. Besides wanting to say hello, we were interested in La Calcina in Venice, our hotel the next three nights after we were to leave Florence. They had stayed for three nights, and they loved it.
They were in good spirits, except that Linda also had the cough from Hell on the trip. Dan and Linda eased into the wine and cheese thing in a hurry, and the four of us along with Mary downed some vino. Kim was on his international cell doing some work. Little did I know that in about 15 minutes, I’d be huffing and puffing like I was going to have a heart attack.
Kim came out from his work mode and said, “Hey, it’s getting dark, aren’t we going to go down to the Arno and take some sunset pictures?” We had talked about this earlier, but I had completely forgotten (sort of like the chicken sandwich).
It was time for speed walking. I’ve known Kim since we were freshmen in college in 1970, and we weren’t all that fast in those days. On the vacation, he and Tracy usually walk at a slower pace while Mary and I blaze the trail. Not today.
Kim started walking faster than Karl Rove trying to dodge a subpoena. Then it was more of a sprint (well, an old man’s sprint) toward the Arno. We passed Santa Croce on the left, and after a quick wave to Galileo, it was down to the river. We took some shots of the Ponte Vechio, but Kim (aka Jessie Owens), had just begun. We walked at a brisk pace to the Ponte Vecchio and took some really neat sunset shots from there. At this point, Dan and Linda were probably wondering what they were getting into by hooking up with this bunch.
While Tracy sat out Pisa the day before, she had discovered a little restaurant near the Duomo called Ristorante Il Caminetto, and I made nine o’clock reservations with the owner previously on this day. I was excited because I had only spoken Italian to him (ok, with a little help from a waiter), and reserved a table on the patio for six. I had hoped I had said all the right things and had not booked a table for Christmas.
Sure enough, our table was ready at 9 pm, and this turned out to be my favorite restaurant on the trip. The inside of the restaurant is very charming, but the evening was nice (a little chilly, but they have heat lamps) and we had really wanted to dine outside.
My meal was as good as it got on the trip, and that includes Ristoro di Lamole along with Cane & Gatto in Siena. I started off with the pumpkin risotto, which was absolutely unbelievable (Tracy has a recipe she is going to share with the board in the next few days).
The waiter was very excited when I ordered the evening’s special the beef del Imprunetta (that might be a little off, but the 9 euro, one litre wines were going fast and furious this night). The dish is a peppery beef stew in a Chianti sauce that they don’t serve very often, but he felt it was the best dish of the night, and it was.
Not that anyone had a bad meal, but my two dishes were spectacular, so it became my Numero Uno restaurant of the trip. It was so good that Dan and Linda ate there two nights later, and said it was just as terrific. Total cost for the six of is was 168 euro.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot the incredible side dish. The roasted rosemary potatoes here are incredible. The table ordered extra helpings. Sort of like the chicken sandwich, it doesn’t sound that spectacular, but take my word for it, if you go here, order them.
During the evening Dan and Linda regaled us with stories from their trip to Oktoberfest, Salzburg and Venice. They had quite a fun time at Oktoberfest and fell in love with Salzburg.
It seemed that Dan was having a little trouble with cameras, however. His digital had bit the dust before he got to Venice, so wanting to take some pictures while there, he bought a little disposable camera to take up the slack. He was nearing the end of the role at the Bridge of Sighs. As he positioned himself for his final picture, one of the women on their first part of the journey accidentally hit his elbow. Needless to say, Dan has no pictures of Venice and the canal has another tourist souvenir camera. As it turned out, Sighs mattered!
But that was not his costliest moment. After departing the train in Venice, Dan and his group were a hungry bunch, and they saw a restaurant as they departed the train station. He ordered the turbot, and, he said it was a nice piece of fish.
Unfortunately for Danno, he had not noticed that the fish was sold by the gram, and this fish must have had a hell of a lot of grams, because it cost our fine diner a total of $200 Euro for his fish dish. He said it was fruitless to argue, and he actually had a good laugh over it. Well, probably not right at that moment.
“You know, I don’t think I can ever eat a piece of turbot for the rest of my life, “ Dan told us at dinner.
I replied, “Look at the bright side. You fish was less expensive than our tank of gas in Gubbio.” Vino, at a good price, can make anything seem humorous.
NOTE: Dan called this evening and could not find the receipt (I feel his pain), but did say they will look it up tomorrow and get me the info.
Back at the hotel, Dan said he would get up early to say good-bye before we headed to the train for Venice the next morning. Linda made no such promise knowing they would hook up with us for the last three days of the trip in Rome.
<b> TOMORROW – SUNNY VENEZIA, UP ON THE ROOF, THE FOUR SEASONS WITHOUT FRANKIE VALLI AND REALLY, REALLY THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE FISH </b>
Nov 5th, 2005 | 07:07 AM
#245
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
I am so enjoying this report as I finalize the details for my trip in December. I have made the itinerary and booked hotels and some restaurants and am now thinking about other details. After all the wonderful vino you bought and consumed, did you buy any to bring back? I know you live in CA, as do I, and think there may be a 2 litre limit per person, but I'm not sure. I had posted a different thread about buying ceramics and heard a story about an additional $65 duty being tacked onto a dish that was sent from Italy. I'd like a good understanding of the duty situation before I start using my Visa card all over Italy. Also, you mentioned Kim using an international cell phone. I have T-Mobile and have already had them "unlock" the chip. I was planning on getting a phone card in Italy and using an Italian number. Is this going to work and is it cost-effective? Did Kim do something different? The whole phone thing is a challenge for me. Thanks for your advice.
Nov 6th, 2005 | 04:49 AM
#246
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,393
Likes: 0
What a wonderful trip report, Tom. The antipasti description at the Cane and Gatto made my mouth water and I was reading at 6 a.m. What can I say, the antipasti is/are my passion. Looking forward to more and to some photographs, please. I've been thinking that this thread and the Diva thread couldn't be more different. Attitude is indeed everything, and you've renewed my faith in the good traveler. Blessings on you and yours. J.
Nov 6th, 2005 | 05:33 AM
#247
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Reading this makes me laugh and I have only gotten to the car. When I was in Holland afew years back my friend who was living there sent me to pick up my rental car alone. The rental agent asked if I could drive a manual and I said yes.
When I drove away I felt proud of myself until I discovered I needed to turn around and couldn't put the car in reverse. I had to drive over a nice Dutch family's lawn. I then went to the supermarket and parked as far away as I could so no one would park next to me. I got back to the house and felt incredibly stupid until all the americans that were working with my friend had the same problem. He apologized for forgetting to tell me.
When I drove away I felt proud of myself until I discovered I needed to turn around and couldn't put the car in reverse. I had to drive over a nice Dutch family's lawn. I then went to the supermarket and parked as far away as I could so no one would park next to me. I got back to the house and felt incredibly stupid until all the americans that were working with my friend had the same problem. He apologized for forgetting to tell me.
Nov 8th, 2005 | 10:33 AM
#251
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,647
Likes: 21
Hi everyone. I have been in Atlanta on business and just got back to So. Cal. this morning. I'll finish up this week.
sharkmom, regarding the phone. I talked with Kim's assistant who set up the whole thing. She said the cost was $3.99 a day plus $1.49 per minute and was received through World Roam Verizon UK. They have a toll free U.S. number 888-309-8560. They mail the phone to you and send a box to ship back after you get back.
I would never have brought a phone, but it turned out handy when we put in the wrong gas and needed EuropCar assistance and getting directions to Tourist House Ghiberti. Kim called the U.S. often on business. The reception on the calls were good.
More later. I promise this report will end before Thanksgiving.
sharkmom, regarding the phone. I talked with Kim's assistant who set up the whole thing. She said the cost was $3.99 a day plus $1.49 per minute and was received through World Roam Verizon UK. They have a toll free U.S. number 888-309-8560. They mail the phone to you and send a box to ship back after you get back.
I would never have brought a phone, but it turned out handy when we put in the wrong gas and needed EuropCar assistance and getting directions to Tourist House Ghiberti. Kim called the U.S. often on business. The reception on the calls were good.
More later. I promise this report will end before Thanksgiving.
Nov 9th, 2005 | 04:35 PM
#254
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,527
Likes: 0
Work! No excuse! Look at the rest of us (so many fodorites post from work it's scary...).
Please don't make us wait until practically Thanksgiving for the next installment. I need some entertainment before the holiday weirdness begins.
Please don't make us wait until practically Thanksgiving for the next installment. I need some entertainment before the holiday weirdness begins.
Nov 9th, 2005 | 04:54 PM
#255
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,647
Likes: 21
"I feared you had gotten the bill for the car, passed out, and hit your head."
No, but we did down a bottle of Chianti to ease the pain. Fortunately, it looks like Tracy and I will not go into debt over the rental car fiasco. The bill was fair.
I will start up again tomorrow. I still have Venice and Rome to go. I will also get out that pumpkin risotto recipe Tracy has come up with. Quite delicious. We're having trouble perfecting the pecorino ravioli, though. Help! I'm going through ravioli withdrawal.
My goal is to finish the report this weekend. Thanks for the nice (and funny) inquiries.
No, but we did down a bottle of Chianti to ease the pain. Fortunately, it looks like Tracy and I will not go into debt over the rental car fiasco. The bill was fair.
I will start up again tomorrow. I still have Venice and Rome to go. I will also get out that pumpkin risotto recipe Tracy has come up with. Quite delicious. We're having trouble perfecting the pecorino ravioli, though. Help! I'm going through ravioli withdrawal.
My goal is to finish the report this weekend. Thanks for the nice (and funny) inquiries.
Nov 9th, 2005 | 04:57 PM
#256
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,625
Likes: 0
Loved the waiter who reported, "I am the wine list" - as indeed the maitai, c'est toi.
You can't finish the report, though, without fessing up to the crush you had on Karen Valentine...
Enjoying the whole thing immensely, I only hope you aren't getting writer's cramp (or should that be, typist's tendonitis....)
You can't finish the report, though, without fessing up to the crush you had on Karen Valentine...
Enjoying the whole thing immensely, I only hope you aren't getting writer's cramp (or should that be, typist's tendonitis....)
Nov 9th, 2005 | 05:05 PM
#257
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,647
Likes: 21
"You can't finish the report, though, without fessing up to the crush you had on Karen Valentine..."
Yes, I admit it! I feel better now. All I could think when watching Room 222 was, "Why don't I have teachers that look like that?"
Yes, I admit it! I feel better now. All I could think when watching Room 222 was, "Why don't I have teachers that look like that?"
Nov 9th, 2005 | 05:17 PM
#259
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Your wonderful trip report makes mention of a soup restaurant in Chiusi - I'd love to hear more about it as I'm going to be there with friends to pick up our rental car & we could arrange it for around lunchtime if recommended...thanks for the entertaining trip report!
Nov 9th, 2005 | 05:24 PM
#260
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,647
Likes: 21
"Your wonderful trip report makes mention of a soup restaurant in Chiusi"
darkforcemom, thanks for the nice comments, but we did not visit Chiusi, so if I mentioned it in this trip report, I must have drank more Brunello than I recall (well, I'm sure I did that anyway). There have been a lot of Italy trip reports lately, so you must be thinking of someone elses report or, perhaps, another town. We did have some good soups along the way.
And cigale, I have never slipped into a canal. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
darkforcemom, thanks for the nice comments, but we did not visit Chiusi, so if I mentioned it in this trip report, I must have drank more Brunello than I recall (well, I'm sure I did that anyway). There have been a lot of Italy trip reports lately, so you must be thinking of someone elses report or, perhaps, another town. We did have some good soups along the way.
And cigale, I have never slipped into a canal. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
