• Koh Samui ... Here We Come!!

      27. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Good Morning from Bangkok! We were up at 5:30am ... but ... that was actually phenomenal given we went to bed about 10 hours prior. I was worried when I awoke at 12:57am that I was going to be up for the day, but I dozed back off until something really weird happened! At 2:00am, all the overhead lights in our room came on. The light was so bright that it startled both of us. We have absolutely no clue how or why, but it happened. After a little while, I was able to fall back to sleep and we both able to stay in the bed for almost another four hours!!

      Speaking of the bed ... it is the largest king size bed we have ever slept in. I believe they pushed two queen beds together. This morning, the old boy teased that he'd considered packing a lunch in order to make the long journey over to my side!! 🤣

      It's an exciting day today. Today, we finally get to our first "live away" destination. I even put mascara on! 😉 It is wonderful to know that we will be staying in one place for the next couple of weeks. We also get to meet our tour guide and maybe some of our fellow Wheel & Anchor guests! Here's hoping that we will hit it off with some of our fellow travellers! And, with extra good luck, maybe some of them will play bridge!

      We were starving by 7:00am so we headed down to breakfast right away! And, oh my gosh .............. it was SO, SO, SO good!! Although no bacon could be found, we discovered the most amazing mix of Asian and American cuisine. I forgot just how delicious those little Chinese pork buns are!! I forget what they are called. Is it dim sum or something like that??🤷‍♀️

      We wanted to get down to breakfast early because we thought we were going to need to have our lunch before we took the 12:30pm shuttle back to the airport for our 3:15pm flight to Koh Samui! We had all kinds of time to kill before our shuttle, so I even ended up playing some bridge online!!

      However, we changed our minds and decided to head to the airport a bit earlier. Thankfully, the hotel was able to change our reservation and accommodate our desire to leave earlier. The baggage allowances for Bangkok Airlines (as cited on their website) concerned me a little bit. It seemed like we might have to check our carry-on bags due to weight restrictions, rather than size. They warned that bags that were over the weight restrictions would be charged extra. You could prepay ... which would be cheaper ... but, I didn't have a clue how heavy our carry-on bags were.

      So, we anticipated we might be standing in long lines to get our boarding passes and then have our bags weighed to see if we needed to check them. It was so lucky that that there was no line to speak of and they didn't weigh our bags at the ticket counter. She just said yes when I asked if we could carry our bags on. It concerned me a little that she didn't even look at the size of them or ask to weight them.

      They are normal carry-on sized bags, but as I said, their website sounded like they only allowed only one bag of no more than 7kg max for carry on. And, uhm ... we also had our small personal backpacks. You can just imagine what my anxious mind was doing with all this uncertainty!!! 🙄 We carried on (sorry for the crappy pun!) towards security screening despite my anxiousness.

      It seemed reasonable to think we could lunch at at the airport once we were through security. As it turns out though ... there are no food services beyond security in the domestic gate in Bangkok. So, we opted to take one scrambled egg croissant at a particular kiosk because .... they had some white wine! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

      That was the good news. The bad news was the price ... $37CAD for one sandwich and two 4-5 oz glasses of wine! Once again, I probably should have checked the price before we ordered ... but in reality, I might have ordered it anyway! Sheesh. I wish I didn't have such a pricey palate!

      At any rate ... I was sizing up everyone's bags while we waited in the security line up. We were in the minority. Most people just had one personal item. There were a few with much smaller carry-on bags, but I was convinced they met the 7kg limit. So ... I was worried.

      As it turned out, we made it through the security and ended up at our gate. They announced that they would check any bags that were too big. My heart raced a bit. The old boy annoyed me with his "it'll be fine" attitude. Sometimes I am so jealous of people who don't get anxious. It strikes me that they must lead much more enjoyable lives. Or ... they partner up with someone who will do the worrying for them.🤣

      I could hardly barely stand it as we proceeded up to the gate for boarding. I could see they were eying our bags. I dreaded it was just a matter of time before we were busted and our carry-ons were apprehended and it would cost more than wine when we were forced to check them at the gate!

      No one said anything. Then, as we moseyed down the long corridor to the plane ... there was another employee ... guarding the doorway. Ahhhhhh .... my anxious mind reeled ... THIS is where they are going to snatch our bags from us and drain our wallets. But ........nope. She said nothing either. 🤔

      We got on that plane without any shoes dropping whatsoever!!! Seriously!! What a delight that was!! I am sure all my fretting saved the day, right??? 🥴

      And then, something wonderful happened! Bangkok Air served us a hot meal of Thai noodles with chicken and vegetables during a 55 minute flight!! Sheesh. WestJet and Air Canada offer you a little bag of pretzels OR a cookie. We got the full meal ... complete with metal cutlery! It was pretty darned impressive!

      We landed in Samui and because its an island ... the runway is so short that we shot past the terminal and then had to do a U-Turn on the tarmac to go back to the airport terminal. And ... it is the most stunningly gorgeous airport. Someone said it has been deemed the most beautiful airport in the world. I wish I could have taken pictures. Maybe I'll try to take some on our way to Bali??

      And, when we got to the terminal, they brought out some open-air carts to bring us from the tarmac to the terminal. It was so neat!! There were lots of rain clouds, but we stayed dry.

      Our shuttle was waiting for us and we arrived at our hotel by 5:30pm. We were an hour late, but our first impressions of Koh Samui were so impressive!! The clouds broke open on us as we were walking to our room, but it didn't matter. We were just so awed by our gorgeous surroundings. We took a few minutes to sit on our deck and admire our view. I found a little bottle of wine in the fridge!! Yay. I didn't look at the price. The old boy enjoyed a Singha. It was sublime to finally arrive. No more travelling for two weeks. 🙌

      And then, we went down to the oceanside restaurant to have dinner. The wind and threat of rain didn't stop us from sitting outside. It was still 29 degrees!! We thoroughly enjoyed our food and found ourselves tucked into bed at 7:30pm again.

      All in all ... it was a fabulous day!! And, we can hardly wait for tomorrow so we can get to know more about this exquisite place!!✨✨✨
      Læs mere

    • Nice to See You Again Thailand!

      26. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      We were scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at 6:15am but we landed early! We missed the 6:00am shuttle to the hotel so we wandered the enormous airport for a bit and opted to see if we could find a bottle of wine to take to the hotel.

      We learned from "Wheel & Anchor" that wine is very hard to find in Thailand and very expensive. We had already discovered how difficult it was to find good vino about 17 years ago when we were here ... but ... the price wasn't as high back then! Our daily goal was simply to find a nice glass of wine somewhere. And, some days we were not successful. 🥴

      We were delighted to find a store in the airport that had lots of wine ... but interestingly enough ... they had ONE kind of white wine. It was priced at 1,490BAT. I wish I had checked the currency converter BEFORE I bought it. I could not believe my eyes when it worked out to be the equivalent of $63CAD!!!!😲

      Good grief ... three glasses of wine. $21 each. How many sips are in a glass? Gah. I dare not do the math. I can guarantee that each sip is going to be worth a pretty penny tonight! I hope it glitters like gold as it glides down our gullets. 🌟

      Sheesh. Lesson learned. I had no idea that 'expensive' meant outrageously priced. That said, I am thinking that Thailand may force me to become a beer drinker! 😏

      As we were wandering around the airport, I was reminded that one of the things I really loved about Thailand when we visited here in 2008 was the loving energy of the Thai people! They exhibit the most kind, courteous, pleasant and respectful natures. One could just feel the honoring and deference of the individuals working in and around the airport! It's truly such a lovely culture.

      We ensured we got onto the 7:00am shuttle and found ourselves at the hotel by 7:20am. Fortunately, they were able to offer us an early check-in. It cost a bit ... but ... it was worth it! It felt so dang good to rinse off those 30+ cumulative hours of travel!

      After a refreshing shower, we placed our $63 bottle of white wine in the fridge and laid down for a 90 minute nap (as per directed by Timeshifter). The old boy was in more need of it that I was! In fact, he almost dozed off while I was in the shower ... picture posted to prove it! 😉

      Oh ... speaking of the shower. Our room is interesting in that the bathroom wall is glass. Yes. Clear glass! You can watch your roommates doing their business ... or ... watch them drop the soap in the shower. Seriously.

      The blinds can be closed ... but ... only from the outside. The person in the bathroom has no control over their privacy. Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit odd???

      After our nap, we headed down for lunch. It was only 10:30am ... but ... since we had breakfast at 4:00am - we were ready for lunch. And, in all honesty, it was feeling like 3:00pm in our bodies however. We definitely needed a coffee!

      We enjoyed a lovely appetizer ... and ... a plate of Pad Thai. The appy was phenomenal. The Pad Thai was not as good as we remembered having in the past. We'll have to try it again elsewhere.

      We tried to take a little walk, but it felt darn hot. Turns out it was 35° C!! We didn't get very far before we decided to turn back and go sit by the pool instead.

      The old boy headed down before I did! Much to my delight, I passed by a vendor offering "luxury foot massages". 🙌

      Turns out they could take me right away! I was fondly reminded of how strong their hands are ... and because she added some extra body massage ... I also wished I had got the authentic Thai massage.

      We enjoyed our wine before we went for supper! And, the green curry was just as tasty as I remember! Stellar, in fact! So good that I might have to have it again tomorrow. My apologies ... I forgot to capture a photo. My heart is holding it all close and dear though!!

      And, as I write this ... the old boy is already in bed. We are feeling that it's 5:30am at home and 7:30pm here. So, we're off to bed. We held out as long as we could! Hopefully it will be easier tomorrow! See you again then ...

      Much love from Thailand,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • All Kinds of Firsts ... 😉

      24. januar, Canada ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

      Well ... during a fitful night while neither of us were sleeping too well ... I happened to look out the window and noticed it had snowed. The moon was still really brightening the skies to the south, but it looked really dark and ominous to the north. Yikes.

      North is the direction we needed to be heading first thing in the morning. My anxious mind immediately started fretting about the roads. And, as much as I wanted to soothe my highly-kindled amygdala, the road report confirmed that a stretch of highway that we needed to traverse was ice and snow covered.

      It was clearly not the best start to our 32+hour commute from Lethbridge to Bangkok! And, if we encountered any trouble on the road, we were certainly not dressed for the occasion. We had no coats and had fashionably(?) put socks on with our sandals to help us keep our tootsies warm whilst in Canada!!

      I was sure glad we were in a huge bus. The roads were, indeed, really crappy for the first half of the trip. And, I really liked that our driver had gray hair. I was telling myself that meant he had years of experience on bad roads! It oddly felt like a good thing that the windshield became obscured with road splatter as the sun began melting all the snow and ice.

      This trip holds all kinds of 'firsts' for us! Given that our direct flight from Vancouver to Bangkok is 16.5 hours long ... I thought this would be a good time to cash in one of my bucket list dreams! I've always wanted to fly first class. And, although the price sent me reeling ... I reasoned that I could sleep for 8 hours and then the old boy could catch 8 hours of lay down as well.

      I wasn't sure how the flight crew would take to us changing seats, but I figured it was an economical way to optimize our comfort! But then ... the old boy indicated that he wanted me to enjoy the whole first class experience myself ... and ... invited me to consider it a birthday gift!

      He has always enjoyed the enviable capability of sleeping sitting straight up, so he felt no need to trade places with me in order to get horizontal. So, I graciously accepted his kindness and will be treasuring each and every moment of the experience.

      One of the other 'firsts' kind of surprised me. We got to go through the priority screening and then ... I was routed away from the big x-ray machine where you hold you hands up while it spins you! I briefly thought ... woohoo ... priority is just excellent. I will just get to walk through the normal archway instead. Nope. It was not that easy. 🙃

      I was informed that I was selected for a 'pat down'. I graciously but politely declined her offer to take me to a second location (i.e. go into a private space). I opted for the public search instead. My goodness ... they are incredibly thorough!! Fortunately, I passed inspection and we were back on our way! The old boy was having way too much fun teasing me about it all. He moseyed through the screening process without raising any eyebrows at all. That might be a first as well!! 😉

      We were hungry so we landed ourselves in one of the only restaurants in our boarding area. Fortunately, we ended up with a quiet(er) table near the windows and, even more to our liking, it had a plug in for me to use the laptop and start this blog!! We enjoyed a Korean Wrap and some unique poutine kettle chips that were really delicious too!

      We opted not to order the wine because a nine ounce glass of Pinot Gris was $20.50. Another first! I've seen outrageous prices for wine before, but nothing quite as bad as this. I decided to have a caffeinated green tea instead. According to "Timeshifter" (an app that helps you minimize jet lag through scheduled doses of caffeine, managing your exposure to light and timing napping/sleeping). Apparently, we need to be having 1/2 cup of caffeine drinks/hour until about 10:00pm tonight. We are crossing our fingers that it will help us mitigate the 14 hour time difference between Lethbridge and Bangkok! I'll keep you posted on that!!!

      Between arriving at Calgary and our flight to Vancouver ... we had about four hours to wait. So, we were delighted to have a nice table to play some 'Clever' while we sip our caffeinated drinks!!

      Some alarm bells were triggered when I noticed that our flight was delayed. My fears were that the initially 'short' delay would morph into us missing our connection to Bangkok but, thankfully, that didn't happen. We were only about an hour late. It proved to be no issue, though, because we also had a lengthy wait in Vancouver before our flight to Bangkok.

      And then, the most unexpected and best thing happened as we boarded for Vancouver! I was seated in 1A and the old boy was in 12 F. A fellow sat down beside me and I deduced that he was a pilot with Air Canada because he knew everyone and talked to others about coming back from London. He even ended up going into the cockpit.

      We had not spoken one word to each other while everyone was boarding ... but then ... the old boy came up to take a picture of me to help chronicle my first class experience! My seatmate asked if he was my husband? When I said yes ... he told me that he would swap seats with the old boy!! And ... he did.

      It was such an incredibly kind gesture. The old boy and I got to share happy hour together in the sky ... whilst enjoying the the setting sun ... which was not setting very fast because we were flying west. And so, as we witnessed the yellows and oranges deepen over the snow topped Rocky Mountains, we sipped on Portuguese white wine and nibbled on complimentary cheese platter. It was simply sublime!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

      When we arrived in Vancouver, I learned I had gained entry into the Air Canada Lounge so we thought we'd check it out because had another four hours to kill before our flight to Bangkok! The ambiance was lovely in the lounge ... and the menu looked delicious, but ... it would have cost the old boy $61.90 to join me. So, we opted for a Subway sandwich and a Starbucks coffee instead. I do love a nice Subway sandwich ...and ... we still needed to top up our caffeine levels!!

      We were doing our level best to stay awake until we boarded. Timeshifter wanted us to have a short nap between 10:00pm and midnight and then stay awake until 7:00am. Eeek!!

      Flying first class has been such a fabulous experience! I loved being in my own little pod. I enjoyed that my seat reclined and would lay completely flat and could even give my lower back a massage. I got a padded seat cover and a blanket and a perfect little pillow. I also got slippers and a dental kit and lip gloss and socks and hand cream too.

      The pod was loaded with all kinds of electronic buttons and gadgets. Thank goodness for the tutorial from the fellow in 3K. I would never have figured out how to work all of it by myself.

      My big screen TV did everything too! Oh ... and ... I was provided with big earmuff style headphones too! We were offered a huge white linen dinner even though it was already after 11:00pm.

      I failed to stay awake as long as 'Timeshifter' recommended. I did make it to a very commendable 1:30AM though! Not bad for a gal who likes to be tucked away between 8:30pm and 9:00pm typically. And, what a joy to discover I slept for 8 hours!! It was such a treat to be horizontal!!

      The old boy did not get as much sleep as I did ... but ... he never complained. I thoroughly enjoyed the airline breakfast and was feeling pretty darn good by the time we landed!

      Oh ... I can't sign off without sharing one more thing that was absolutely wonderful! I watched "Little Bird". THAT is one of the most touching and thoughtful and inspiring movies that I have ever seen. And, it is especially poignant given the political climate of our globe right now. I sobbed in a couple of places ... and ... had such a lump in my throat that it was hard to eat my breakfast while I watched. I was so deeply moved by the message! If you haven't seen it ... do yourself a favor and watch it with someone so you can talk about it afterwards. I loved it so much that I want to watch it again with the old boy so we can tease apart all the moments of goodness within it.

      Okay ... I need to say goodbye. This blog is way too long. Let me just finish by sharing that flying first class was truly was a remarkable experience! The only thing that would have made it better was having someone to share all my oohs and ahhs with!! Wait. Never mind. I am sharing the wonder and awe of it ... with all of you.

      See you again ... once we are settled in Bangkok,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • From Rome to Home!!

      21. oktober 2024, Canada ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

      I was wide awake at 6:50am. Maybe I'm just a little excited to go home?!? Or, wait, maybe it's because one of us had a great sleep and one of us did not!?

      We got our suitcases reorganized for air travel and then headed down to breakfast. Can I just say that we didn't think breakfast could get any better than Villa Mary ... but ... we were wrong!!

      The breakfast at Rome Airport Inn was even better. It was unequivocally "the best ever"!! We enjoyed red orange juice. There were hot croissants and fresh fruit and yogurt and fesh salad drizzled with scrumptious olive oil. There was cereal and breadsticks and nuts and then they offered us omelets with ham, cheese and mushrooms!  Oh and the capuccino was so dark and delicious. Oh ... and fresh ground salt AND fresh ground pepper! Pepper has been a hard commodity to find during our time in Italy.  Dare I say ... I've missed it! So ... what a treat to grasp a grinder at breakfast!

      We had an hour before the shuttle would take us to the airport, so we wandered down to the sea. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I thought Rome was more inland ... like Florence. Nope. Right on the water!  It was only 15°C, but it felt like 23°C. I would love to know why the same temperatures feel so much warmer in Italy? 🤔

      All that said, I must make a plug for the Rome Airport Inn. At first I was a bit grumbly that check-in was only between 4:30pm and 10:00pm. I learned that this is because but they are a wonderfully, hospitable family run business. Mom, Dad and daughter.

      They need a break between check outs and check ins. If you are ever in Rome and need a place near the sirport ... gift yourself with this Bed & Breakfast. The little yard even has ping-pong snd Foosball tables!

      A short shuttle ride brought us to the airport. I am delighted to share we were through the bag drop,  security and customs within 45 minutes!! No hiccups at all! Given all the lineups and chaos that is Rome airport, it felt like a miracle.

      We actually boarded an hour early and took off a little ahead of schedule!  I was still waiting for a shoe to drop!! Maybe we'll get stalled on the tarmac? Rerouted in mid air? My sear mate might have body odor? Nope. None of that. I honestly can't recall a trip where everything went so smoothly!

      I was regretting that I didn't book premium economy for flight home because we enjoyed it so much on the way to Rome, but ... it wasn't horrible. It was just so long ... 10 hours plus one extra for boeading early. I didn't want to sleep much because I want to be able to go to bed when we got home.

      One of the best parts of this stress-free trip home is that my dear friend Robin has offered to drive us home! It's such a gift because otherwise, we would have another night in Calgary and another day waiting for the Red Arrow Bus which departs at 5:15pm  and takes an extra hour to get to Lethbridge! Her kindness and generosity saved us both time and money, We will got home more than 24 hours sooner than we expected!

      Mother Nature welcomed us home with the first snowfall of the season. We slept like logs and I am enjoying my morning solitude ... in the flicker of my candle lights reflecting on the utter gloriousness of this trip.

      All in all, this trip has been filled with so many gifts that we will treasure in the years to come. It felt like everything just went right. Little magical moments dotted our journey and I got to surrender the weight of being the tour guide. And, the Universe )along with oodles of good spirited and kind-hearted people) filled in for me.

      I can't recall if I said this here or not, but this trip rates right up there as one of my favorite trips of all time!! If you are ever inclined to see Italy on foot, please consider Walk About Italy! It is a real gem!! In addition to the two two tours we did (Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terra), they offer tours in Sicily, the Dolomites, the Northern Lakes (Como etc), Tuscany, Umbria. They create them to avoid the tourists and maximize pleasure!

      And, with all of that said, I am still so tickled to be home! Although my routine was the same this loaning, it feels different ... because I'm different.

      Travel shifts your molecules on the inside. I'm carrying all the light and love of the awe-inspiring sights we beheld, the wonders we captured (both in heart and with photos!) and ... more than anything else ... the universal kindness of humanity anlong with the benevolence of the Universe! I can'tcapture this feeling with words, but our time away has grown my sppreciation for the marvels and miracles tgat await all of us ... if we can open our hearts and dare to invite it all in..

      I will be looking up my long-lost cousin in Kelowna. I'm meeting two other of my cousins soon! Who knows what lies ahead, but I'm going to welcome it all. It is, after all, the final quarter and I want to savor every moment. 💞

      Thanks for sharing our journey with us. I'm looking forward to getting this blog made into a hard cover book so we can revisit all the rich moments we enjoyed from the comfort of our home!!

      With deepest gratitude,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • Rome-ward Bound!

      20. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

      We had to set an alarm today for the first day in five days. Our time here in Positano has been so relaxed and leisurely. It was the perfect topping to a very rich and rewarding trip. We keep saying, "Our hearts are full!"

      We had a great ride from Positano to Naples. It was the younger brother of our driver who brought us from Naples to Positano! He was 2w and full of enthusiasm for all the decades ahead of him. It was such a joy to witness his spirit so alive and eager to enjoy life! 🙌

      Our train to Rome was perfectly uneventful. Our train from Rome train station to Rome Airport was equally uneventful. And our shuttle from airport to hotel was quite uneventful too. All in all a nice travel day. No mountains to climb ( physically, mentally or emotionally) and no drama to contend with either.

      Part of me keeps waiting for the next shoe to drop. Another part of me is just enjoying the lack of stress. 👍

      As I write this, we're checked into our room and into our flight! We just need to decide if we are heading out to eat a proper meal here in Rome or if we'll just nibble on the things I brought with us from Positano. I'm not sure where we'll land ... but ... I'll see you all in the morning!

      The last leg of our journey is upon us! And, as much as we loved, loved, loved this trip, we are really looking forward to being home. We have missed seeing the Autumn colors. Everything here stays ever so green. It's beautiful... but ... I love the plays of color we get at home during the Autumn season. 🍂🍁

      Night, Night from Italy,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️

      P.S. I bought 6 more Kiko eyebrow pencils at the Naples train station! I am bringing home 18 of them. I'm banking on some longevity!! 😄

      P.P.S. We opted to snack on the goodies I brought along and see if we could get a glass of wine from the hotel. All they had was Prosecco, so I made a cup of tea instead.

      Then, low and behold, a light rap at the door and the owner/shuttle driver arrived with a silver tray laden with a bottle of wine, some chips and some olives! 😍

      There are so many kind, wonderful people in the world! ❤️
      Læs mere

    • And the Thunder Rolls!

      19. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

      Another full day of rain is forecast for today. We awoke to gloomy skies and the persistent sound of thunder. Fortunately, our deck has stayed dry since yesterday afternoon. Hopefully it will continue to be a place of refuge for us to eat, rest and play games.

      That said ... its colder today than it has been in the three weeks since we arrived in Italy. Looks like I'll have a chance to wear some of the warmer attire that has simply been taking up space in my suitcase. 🥴

      I wasn't surprised when the internet went down again this morning, but I got a bit more concerned about the quality of our day when the power went out at 8:40am. The hillside was dark except for a couple of places!

      We hadn't even had a cup of coffee ... never mind breakfast. Do they have a generator? Do they cook with gas? Will our breakfast be late? How long will it be before our phones die? Will our ceramics class be cancelled if the power doesn't come back on? These are the wild and worrisome workings of my anxious mind!! The old boy is just relaxing ... trusting it will all be fine! Gah!!! 😵‍💫

      Breakfast arrived, just a wee bit late. The power came back on but continued to flicker. If it hadn't been for the rain, we probably would not have booked the ceramics class because we already did some ceramics with Walk About Italy.

      The old boy clearly wasn't fussy about it ... but he was a good sport and tagged along despite thinking it would be the same as the ceramic tile we made in Amalfi!

      However ... we were pleasantly surprised on all counts! The power was on and we started with a block of clay. The teachers were Claudia and her 27 year old son Armando. We had so much fun!! I decided to make two little bowls and the old boy made a tray! We crossed our fingers that the power would stay on because we were in a little room with no windows.

      We let our creative flow as generously as the rain ... and .. the old boy had a complete turn of heart. He was having so much fun creating. It turns out that he is quite particular about his artistry. He is still thanking me for 'forcing' him to participate! 😉

      When we were complete, Armando took one photo of us with his mom ... and just at that moment ... the power went out!!The timing of the power outage could not have been more perfect for us! 😘

      Armando and his mom will fire and glaze our creations and then ship them to us! We are eager to see the finished products once we receive them!!

      After our fun morning, we headed back down the lane to our room for lunch! Although I was lamenting the $86 Eur the old boy spent at the Mini mart for cold cuts, olives, cherry tomatoes and cheese .. I've been ever so grateful for it all because we haven't had to go out in the incessant rain more than once for food! 🙌

      The only thing we were lacking was some wine to go with our leftovers. We opted to risk paying more pay per bottle at our Villa rather than heading out in the rain to get one.

      We were deeply grateful when the owners gave us a complimentary bottle of wine ... offering it as an apology for the weather! Gosh!! Who does that?? We've had such great service from Villa Mary! If you are ever in Positano, we highly recommend it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

      I was supposed to have a massage today at 3:00pm but the masseuse was coming from Sorrento by scooter. With all the rain, my massage was cancelled. It's okay though. The old boy needed a chance to redeem himself with the games! He had a rough day with many losses yesterday. 🤣

      Tonight we are going back to Il Ritrovo for our last dinner here in Positano. Tomorrow we are off to Rome by train and will spend the night near the airport.

      Bye for now
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • Another Lazy Day in Positano Paradise!

      18. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      The skies were overcast and cloudy as we opened our peepers this morning. I still cannot fathom how lazy we are feeling?? Perhaps all the adrenalin of walking over the past two weeks has finally left our systems? Who knows ... but ... its glorious to simply slow down and rest.

      The forecast for rain all day has confirmed that we will not get to the island of Capri on this trip. All I can say is that it's a darn good thing that we didn't venture all the way down to the sea to catch the 9:00am ferry because the rain started pouring down about 8:45am!! There is no way an umbrella, rain coat or poncho would keep a person dry in that kind of downpour!

      With the countless similar forecasts during our walk abouts, we were so darn lucky a downpour like this didn't happen until now.  In fact, I'm ever so grateful we made it 21 days without more than a few showers.

      The ferocity of it makes me think about the sailors and fishermen who get caught on the sea in something like this. Eeeeeek. The force of Mother Nature is nothing to scoff at!

      It was also so loud!! Our breakfast service was due just as things were letting up, but the balcony was wet, so I had no idea where they plan to serve us breakfast??

      Fortnstely, there was a short break in rain so we got to dry things off and eat outside afterall. As it started up again, we just retreated towards our door. We thought we might have to pull the whole table inside,

      So ... we had nothing on our schedule today ... except that the old boy wants to go shopping. He spied a ceramic olive oil bottle in one of the shops we popped into when we went down to the beach a couple days ago.

      I talked him out of buying it at the time because it cost $55 EUR (plus .48/dollar exchange) and we already have a perfectly well functioning olive oil bottle! Also, the stress of keeping said pricey and precious bottle from breaking enroute home did not appeal to me. I rest my case. My defense was solid ... right?!?

      Nope. His heart felt differently than my head. He mentioned that he has regretted not getting it so, we'll be headed back to get him one today! Let's call this indulgence a nice belated birthday gift! 😘

      So, as soon as the rain subsided, a bit, we dared to go out for lunch and then to find the optimal olive oil bottle.

      We just made it to the restaurant when another torrential downpour hit. We opted to eat very slowly and wait it out before our shopping.

      My heart skipped a beat when I saw lemon chicken and baked potatoes on tge menu. The old boy was equally delighted to order tge squid with veggies. Although the pasta is wonderful ... I find a lack of protein and veggies in the Italian diet.

      This lunch was a perfect choice for us. Turned out that the squid was the most delectable and tender that the old boy has ever had! I know he says that about everything, but I can confirm that it was the best I've ever tasted ... and ... I don't care much for squid.

      It also turned out that baked potatoes look just like McCain's frozen french fries! I traded my fries for his veggies! We were both happy, happy,happy! 😋

      We headed down the street to one of the many ceramic shops here. And, after some serious deliberation, the old boy finally picked out a nice ceramic olive oil bottle. I would have included a photo but big signs prohibiting photos were pasted all over the shop. It's all wrapped up for travel now, so I don't want to unpack it. If you'd like to see it, you'll have to come for dinner. 😊

      I was grateful for the umbrella and raincoat on the trek back. The old boy opted to just get wet. To each their own.🤷‍♀️

      It seems to have settled down some now and so we've been back out on the balcony breathing in the scent of fresh rain and playing games. Not to brag, but I'm on a winning streak with the games!
      👍👍👍

      I think its safe to say we're settled in nicely for the evening now. We'll pull out our sandwich fixings for dinner and plan to snuggle into bed early again.. The bed here has a sponge waffle thing on it so it's far less hard than the other beds we've been on while in Italy. 👏👏

      The thunder is rolling again and it's supposed to rain heavily throughout the night and all day tomorrow! We are fine with that, though, because we have a ceramics class in the morning and I have a massage in the afternoon!

      We are wishing Sherisse an exceptional birthday today and were delighted we got a chance to sing her the birthday song on What's App! Technology is so wonderful in moments like this!!
      🥳🎊🎁💞

      Sending warm hugs across the pond,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • Footloose and Fancy Free!

      17. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      We are delighted to be facing this day with NO itinerary whatsoever. Other than breakfast being delivered at 9:00am to our balcony ... we have no time frames to meet. While we thoroughly sppreciated our 'Walk About Italy' tour guides doing all the organizing, it feels so liberating to simply let our hearts lead the way and allow the day unfold before us

      We had considered taking a ferry to Capri today, but neither of us were up for the crowds. We could still go tomorrow ... if the weather holds up and our inclination increases enough to set an alarm. For now, though, we are thinking we'll have a leisurely day!

      I noticed our Villa serves a spagetti lunch by the pool. The one with cherry tomatoes sounds good, but they offer one with lemon cream!! Spagetti with lemon cream?? Would it be sour, sweet or savory? I'm very curious to try it! Well, actually, I will probably play it safe and order the one with cherry tomatoes, but the old boy will be sure to try something new and go with the lemon cream.

      We ordered a second cappuccino and as we sipped it, I continued to marvel at the way the traffic flows on these one lane roadways. Somehow, the busses, cars, scooters, bicycles and pedestrians share the space so cooperatively! There is no honking nor middle-fingering when things get snarled up. As our driver said... "none of that makes the road wider." Someone needs remind all of us North American drivers about that non-negotiable reality! 🥴

      We headed down to the pool and enjoyed playing some clever! We've had these games with us for 20 days and haven't yet had a moment to play! The old boy kept reveling in how much he was enjoying his wins in such aesthetically beautiful surroundings! 😉

      We ordered the lemon cream pasta and it was so good!! What a treat not to have to leave this little piece of heaven to get our lunch.

      We hadn't done a darn thing all day but relax ... and so ... it made no sense that we felt so tired! We set the alarm and dozed on the chaisse lounges for 15 minutes in the filtered sunshine. Could it get any better??

      Then we got in gear and headed down to the mini market. Some very juicy looking cherry tomatoes had caught our eyes yesterday! We opted to get those and some olives and eat the last of the sandwiches 🥪 we picked up yesterday for dinner on our balcony tonight.

      Out intentions were solid, but by the time the old boy ordered some meat, some cheese, some limoncello and, and, and ... the bill was $81EUR!! Good grief ... we could have eaten out for that price! Looks like we'll be eating in until we check out on Sunday! 🤣

      We played Clever until I finally won a game. Whew! We enjoyed our balcony feast ... and ... just as we were headed to bed the bells started ringing. One church appears to be one full minute behind the other church. The bells ringing in both towers ... very rapidly ... for 60 seconds each. This has happened several times today. Any of you Roman Catholics know what that means? We are entirely clueless. 🤷‍♀️

      I'm going to take it as a signal that its time for children and elderly people to go to bed. I shall heed the call. Yes. I know. It's only 8:00pm, but I do love to tuck in early! 🙃😉🙃

      Wishing everyone at home a grest day!
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • Happy 71st Birthday to the Old Boy!!

      16. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      We enjoyed a really relaxed morning! Our breakfast was delivered to our balcony at 9:00am! It was an incredible spread!! 😍

      We went exploring and headed down towards the beach. I was afraid we might get lost in the maze of lanes, but the paths were well marked!

      It was so incredibly busy down by the water. We wandered around a bit. We thought we might have a glass of wine at the Ocean Bar. We were warned that they would add 20% to the total for "service". We thought it might be worth it until we saw the price of wine. No glasses ... just bottles. $120. No. No. No.

      We opted to escape the tourist mayhem and headed back up the cliffside to our place. We stopped at the 'Mini Market' and got two sandwiches (made to order) ... a couple of bottles of wine, a bottle of water and some pasta to take home. We spent less than $38EUR.

      Our economical lunch was so very much enjoyed in the stillness on our deck! It was hot, though, so we headed down to sit by the pool and relax some more. There was a lovely young couple from Toronto at the pool. They were so fun to chat with!

      We made a reservation for a birthday supper tonight. We went to IL Ritrovo and there is another shuttle to take us there! The food was delicious! They gave the old boy a bib ... not because of his age but because he ordered the lobster! We also enjoyed some eggplant parmigiano and some ravioli! It was sll wonderful. Oh ... and a very generous pour of the house white wine! 🥂

      We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and had a great tour of Positano on the ride home because we were the last patrons to be dropped off in our car load! And, now, we are most happy to tuck into bed. In fact, as I write this ... the old boy is already snoozing! 😴😴

      Beuno Sera,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      Læs mere

    • And ... I'm Tour Guide Again

      15. oktober 2024, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      With our two "Walk Abouts..." both behind us now, we're off to Positano today! I'm back in the tour guide saddle. Part of me is dreading it already and another part of me is looking forward to the flexibility and no alarm clocks for a few days!

      We enjoyed a nice breakfast and after a few more heartfelt goodbyes, we were headed towards the train station. We had been notified that our train was delayed by 14 minutes, so we thought maybe we'd have time to stop at a couple shops.

      Thankfully, one of our guides was taking the same train and noticed that it was more recently cited to be 'on time' again. Thank goodness we didn't dawdle when we thought we had extra time because we'd have missed our train! 🥴

      Five hours to Rome and then another train to Naples. We indulged ourselves by getting a private transfer from Naples to Positano. Sadly, however, there was a five car pile up on the highway and we ended up taking twice as long to get to Positano than we expected.

      Thank goodness I didn't have to tinkle! It would have made the extra hour exceptionally unbearable.

      It was dark by the time we got to Villa Mary. And, due to the Amalfi terrain, they couldn't drop us at the door. The driver said it was sbout 30 steps up and then straight ahead. We scoffed as we kept walking ... wondering when it would end!

      Some kind fellow was walking his dog and he asked where we were going and carried up one of our bags!!

      The owner of the villa met us in the lane and carried one bag the rest of the way. She brought us a bottle of wine and invited us to take our time and get settled comfortably on our deck before we officially checked in.

      As Taziana shared the map, she recommended we get the shuttle to a restaurant up the hill. We thought we were going to have to miss dinner, but this option worked so well.

      Apparently, this family owned restaurant still has Nonna working in the kitchen. One of the family offers a shuttle because otherwise people wouldn't go all the way up the hill to eat.

      It was hilarious, though, because we didn't, initially, get a table overlooking the cliffside. Once it was available, the shuttle driver was cleaning tables and he then told us to grab our drinks. We had no idea what he was doing. He moved our whole table so we could enjoy the view from the cliffside. Only in Italy ... 😆

      A short shuttle home and wefound ourselves settled into a much softer bed than is typical of our experience in Italy, thus far. The pillows were also so good. We had such a wonderful sleep!

      We are looking so forward to seeing what our time here will look like! I made the mistake of looking at the forecast. I am hoping that we will be lucky again and not get as wet as currently predicted!!

      Hugs to all,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️

      P.S. Less than 5000 steps logged today!! The 'walkabout' is clearly over ... 😉
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