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A fortnight in Italy
  • Making another memory
  • Making another memory

A fortnight in Italy

A 15-day adventure by Making another memory Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 3, 2024
    Making another memoryA fortnight in ItalyTraveler
    Our evening view of il Campanile di Giotto.
    The Piazza della Republica in early morning light.A graceful spire caught my eye along this street.2Alln scoops up one of the three pasta types we made in this class.I helped Chef Marco mix our papardelle with the osso buco that bubbled away during our class.An antipasti of delicious homemade salami, ham, and fresh figs.Fresh fruit for sale.On the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's oldest bridge.Admiring a door on display at the Opera del Duomo's museum.

    Savoring Florence

    Sep 3–9, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 91 °F

    I lived in Florence for a semester 41 years ago, and returning to the city with Allan, a first time visitor, has made for a good trip.

    A pasta cooking class was a lot of fun, as was wandering about the city’s narrow streets, where we’ve delighted in the culinary displays. Each meal has been a tasty adventure.

    We stayed in a charming AirBnB, a 4th floor walkup on Via del Corso, with a great view of the Campanile di Giotto. The tower is adjacent to Il Duomo, a landmark I could see a sliver of from my old apartment. The building facades appear timeless as ever…the crowds of tourists, however, were not part of my memories.

    Tomorrow morning we head to Venice for a few days.    Read more

  • Making another memoryA fortnight in ItalyTraveler
    Gondoliers making their way past the Bridge of Sighs.
    The day's last rays of sun on the Campanile in Piazza San Marcos.The Basilica di San Marcos is beautiful to behold.One of the about 400 gondoliers working the waters in Venice.Allan observing the deck of our vaporetto to Lido.Paolo, our wonderful tour guide, explaining how the Venetians guarded their waterways.Our tour happened to go up the canal we've been staying on.The Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal.A selfie at the steps of the Rialto Bridge.One of many shop displays offering masks.

    Venice always charms

    Sep 9–12, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    I fell in love with Venice in the 1980s, and her charm is still just as strong. This was Allan’s first visit, and a captain, he was impressed by how intrinsically linked the waterways are to life here.

    When we arrived on Monday, we splurged on a water taxi. Partly because the vaporettos were expected to be on strike (they weren’t), and partly because we’re pushing three rollaboards and carrying three smaller bags, which is a handful to get on and off a vaporetto.

    Motoring past gondolas wending their way through the canals was a fun way to start our short time here. We were happy to get settled in at our AirBnB off of Campo do Pozzi, have an early dinner at a nearby restaurant and then walk to Piazza San Marco, where musicians were playing classical music at one of the cafes.

    The next day, we hopped onto a vaporetto to Lido for a 90-minute small boat tour of the lagoon and Venice. Paolo, our guide, grew up in Venice and his passion for her history runs deep. We learned how the Venetians built up their city on so many small islands, and how they assigned different purposes to adjacent islands, such as being a quarantine island, or a hospital island, and so on. He sparked our interest in visiting Murano and Burano, about which I’ll post in our next footprint. We thoroughly enjoyed our brief time together!

    Afterward, we walked to the Rialto and spent some time exploring that part of the city.    Read more

  • Making another memoryA fortnight in ItalyTraveler
    Allan took this shot of a glassmaker's furnace in Murano.
    Mail delivery by boat, before a mailman walks the letters to the various businesses and houses.A small square in Murano.A canal in colorful Burano.Lunch in Burano.Laundry drying in Burano.Racers in Burano, a popular summertime activity for locals.A canal in Burano.

    A day in Murano and Burano

    September 11, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    We put our vaporetto passes to good use and spent a lovely day wandering through Murano, famous for glassmaking, and Burano, known for its linens, lace, and colorful houses.

    We wished we were able to carry more things with us as the quality of the beautiful goods for sale was quite enticing. However, with eight more weeks of travel ahead of us we mostly restrained ourselves.

    We are enjoying the slower pace of European life, lingering at cafe tables over coffees, or lunch, or aperitifs.    Read more

  • Making another memoryA fortnight in ItalyTraveler
    Waiting to enter Francheschetta58.
    Enjoying a tasting menu at Francheschetta58.One of many streets strung with umbrellas around the city center.Admiring navigation instruments at the Civic Museum.We enjoyed beautiful early fall weather on our strolls around Modena.Beautiful instruments on display at the Galleria Estense.The Torre Civica Ghirlandina overlooking a crowd gathered for a philosophy festival event.Saturday morning shoppers at the Mercato Storico Albinelli.A view of the Chiesa del Voto.

    Leisurely days in Modena

    September 12, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Neither of us had ever visited Modena and we chose to spend a few days here on a culinary whim.

    How so?

    Last month, Allan spent a good portion of our flight from JFK to Rome watching a Master Class offered by Chef Massimo Bottura, who runs three acclaimed restaurants in Modena.

    Since we’d shelved our plans for walking the Camino this year, and had time to spend in Europe before returning home on a transatlantic cruise in October, we decided to search for a Home Exchange stay in Modena, and hopefully eat at one of Chef Massimo’s restaurants.

    Once we confirmed Home Exchange, we signed up for Osteria Francescana’s waiting list, but that didn’t work out. We did, however, snag a reservation at Franchestta58, and loved sampling the tasting menu there for lunch one day.

    We spent the rest of our time leisurely ambling around the city, enjoying a gelato here, a trattoria meal there, exploring museums, playing games in our Home Exchange apartment, whatever caught our fancy…

    Tomorrow we fly from Bologna to London, and on Friday we’ll board the Anthem of the Seas to cruise the Canary Islands.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 17, 2024
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