As I wrrite this last blog which is just an accumulation of "things" I want to thank those of you have followed my travels and made comments along the way or "liked" it on Facebook. The blog was started because I wanted to remember the year and thought it would be an excellent way to bring back memories of the trip. Better than that during this year with your comments and such I have renewed old friendships, stayed in touch with family and so many friends. and found encouragement when I wanted to quit blogging.
My plans for the future are pretty much up in the air. I will stay in NC and visit family and friends on the East coast unti the end of June when I will fly to California for a month. The next month or so may find me in Arizona to hopefully bring to a conclusion a long standing family matter. Once that is complete I have an AWS reunion to attend in September. I kind of plan to just travel around the US, hopefully see some of you during those travels, and look for a place to call home. I have no idea where that will be. Gosh, its almost like graduating from college except I don't have to find a job. It will be starting all over again - furnishing an apartment from scratch - almost. Exciting, I think.
As a seasoned traveler I thought i should impart a little of my knowledge about living abroad. These are just random thoughts.
1. Travel light- no one volunteers to carry your bags for you. Sometimes you do get help but they expect a lot of money for it.
2. In the same vein, no one knows or remembers what you wore yesterday.
3. Make sure your garbage bag and laundry bag do not match.
4. Pull on pants are the best - elastic waists expand as you do. They also shorten the time you have to spend behind closed doos in the WC's.
5. I highly recommend getting an apartment and establishing a home base and travel from it. When searching for an apartment - there are any number of sites. VRBO, Home Away, Booking.com, AirB&B and more. If you don't have any luck using those websites google apartments to rent in the city you desire to live. If you are doing short stays in a city compare renting vs hotel rooms.
6. Viator is a great travel site to use for booking tours in cities.
7. Do online banking and set up all bills to be paid atomatically and you can do everything you need to do abroad on an iPad or even iPhone. If you want to do a blog or something that requires a lot of typing buy a keyboard to go with your iPad.
8. If you have an iPhone download viber and have all your family and friends that have iphones do the same. You can talk to and text them for free. Of course you can always use Facetime as well but then you have to put on make up and comb your hair- ha!
9. Bring an old phone with you and get it "unlocked" before you leave and than you can purchase a SIM card for the country you are in. You can also buy an unlocked phone at Media Mart, Saturn or other stores in Europe. The plans are generaly monthly and are very reasonable to secure data as well phonecall ability.
10. If you can, get a credit card with a chip and pin. I had one with a chip and pin but it only worked once. After that I had to sign the transaction slip. Not a big deal but the chip and pin offers the best security.
11. Get a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees.
12. Getting money from the ATM is the easiest way to secure cash. Just make sure you have money in the bank - ;-)!
13. Netflix's is not supported in Italy or Spain. Not sure about Portugal.
14. There's probably a whole lot more that I will remember later but I'm going to publih this as it is.
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Maude Donna Foley Mabry
A family Affair Mary campisi
Winter Garden Kristin Hannah
The Fall of Marigolds Susan Meissner
The Boston Girl Anita Diamant
The Last Time We Say Goodbye Cynthia Hand
Now You May Weep Deborah Crombie
In a Dark House Deborah Crombie
Water Like Stone Deborah Crombie
When Memories Lie Deborah Crombie
Necessary as Blood Deborah Crombie
No Mark Upon Her Deborah Crombie
A Sund of Broken Glass Deborah Crombie
To Dwell in Darkness Deborah Crombie
Dead Wake:The last crossing of the Lusitania Erik Larson
The Gift of Rain : A novel Tan Twan Eng
Memory Man David Baldocci
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Sharon celebrated her birthday in Bologna. We went to one our favorite restaurants and had a wonderful lunch.
We both had the Ravioli stuffed with cheese in a butter and fresh zucchini flower sauce. Delicious! The ravioli was so light it melted in your mouth. They brought Sharon a special cake with a candle - that's for the 1 in 71.
What would a birthday in Italy be without the "kiss". What would it be anywhere without the "kiss".
We had to try some of their special desserts as well and look! We are members of the clean plate club!
A litle strollafter lunch and we ran across an art show.
Yup! Sharon had to show off her new shirt and scarf 'cause it was her birthday! Same old pants she's been wearing all year though!
Just love these colonnades in Bologna!
Act fast and I can purchase this suit for you or your spouse. A little dancing in front of the Cathedral.
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Today I mailed my last box home. I got to the postoffice when it opened because yesterday when I went to buy a box it took over an hour. Figuring the Italians don't get up too early since they stay up so late I'd be better off going first thing in the morning. I got there and was already number 5 in my line. It took me nearly an hour before I got my "turn". When I put my box on the scale they communicated to me somehow that the balance in the scale was broken and th small scale couldn't weigh the big box. We found a customer who spoke English and she interpreted that I could take the box over to one of three stores on the otherside of th street and see if they would weigh it for me. I went into the butcher shop and he obliged. Box weighed, I went back to the post office and we did all the paperwork and at last I made it home - 71 kilograms (15 pounds) lighter for the haul home.
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Tonight I cooked. Sharon always accuses me of making a mess. Doesn't she know that all great chefs make big messes.
It was delicious!!!! :-)!
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Another day I walked to a salon that had been recommended by the resident manager to get a pedicure. I just can't see well enough any more to do a good job. I could do it all last month but now that I'm 70 things change :-)!
Fun to see the city "doors" as I walked along the ring around the city to get to the salon ( not saloon).
This one I actually saw on the trip back from St Luca.
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We often frequented this lovey little restaurant. They had this very nice outdoor eating area and very often had live music. The staff there also came to recognize us and greet us warmly when we arrived. They were open all day so it was great to be go to if we wanted to eat on the early side.
Guess we came early this night.
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The Jasmine is in ful bloom on our patio. It smell so good.
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Before we left Bologna we knew we had to go see the Santuario di Madonna di San Luca. We were going to take a little tourist train to the top but learned that it only ran Thursday - Sunday. We took a taxi instead. Part of the experience of going to the Basilica is the journey through the portico , the world's longest) 666 arches, 2.4 miles.
The Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca is a basilica church sited atop Colle or Monte della Guardia, in a forested hill some 300 meters above the plain, just south-west of the historical center of the city of Bologna. Not only are you walking a long way you to get to the Basilica you are also climbing a pretty steep grad. We decided down was the way to go. There were beautiful views.
The Portico connects the Porta Saragozza with the San Luca Sanctuary, on Colle della Guardia. The Sanctuary was meant to house a miraculous icon of the virgin. The arcade was meant to protect the icon as it was paraded up the hill. A yearly procession proceed from the church of San Pietro in the center of Bologna to the Sanctuary along this path. Originally the arches held icons or chapels erected by the patron family.
There was a rehearsal for First Communion going on in the Baslica when we arrived.
Our jouney started here and down we went.
All along the route were plaques with the name and year. Some more elaborate than others.
Sad to see all the grafitti. Along the way were entrances to apartments, chapels and villa's. AT least that's where I think all these doors were going to. Generally there was a list of names next to a doorbell.
Down and down we went....
A runner on the road up to the Basilica. Skinny people, heavy people, young and old alike were running up and down the portico. Great place to run, if you don't mind the grade. Covered walk- protected from the rain and the sun.
round and round we went.
As we left the portico leading to San Luca we continued the walk into the city of Bologna and through the city under more portico's.
We had a great last long walk. It's been awhile since we walked that far - appropriate for our last few days in Europe. Now I get to go home and drive a car. That will be so nice after a year of "hoofing" it!
OUR FINAL NIGHT AT OSTERIA BROCAINDOSSO
We couldn't go any place else for our last night but our local neighborhood retaurant. What a treat. The food was delicious and we sat next to a couple and their daughter from Villa Park, California. They were so delightful. Their daughter was a foodie so we conneted right away :-)! All our favorite people were there.
Porcini mushroom season.
We started out conservative. A pasta with vegetables for Sharon.
Tortlini with buttter and sage for Terry.
But it was porcini season - so how about an order of steak with porcini mushrooms for Terry.
Ups! they split it and gave half to Sharon.. That's a half a serving ?
Our wonderful table neighbors. Who by the way bought us our dinner.
Our other favorite person who wasn't around earlier for the photo. He told me he was sleeping.
This man was wonderful. Always so gracious when we ate in the restaurant. He also lived in our building so we'd run into him in the laudry room.
And the desserts started coming. We ordered strawberries with marscapone. But you can't just eat that you must have teramisu too.
How about some flan?
A little of this?
Profiteroles... with chocolate sauce? Some where in there was a chocolate mousse.
A new shirt and I look like Cruella De Ville.
Aubrey in front of the restaurant.
The entrance to our home in Bolgona.
WOW!!!! What a year!
Loved this. I especially liked the picture of Sharon being kissed on her birthday. I wonder how you'll feel about food once you return to the US, not that you can't get good food here. I hope you'll keep blogging. Safe travels.
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