This is one of my favorite photos from Venice. I took this same shot back in 2006. I wasn't sure I could find the place again, but happily I did.

5 June 2010: Venice, Change of Hotels

5 June, Saturday

I woke up tired. I've done a ton of walking this trip and going to bed too late reading a good book (Sarah’s Key). I got up at 7:30am and enjoyed breakfast on the terrace. It was a beautiful day and it was a pleasure sitting outside under the umbrellas in the shade watching the boats go by. Breakfast at the hotel was pretty decent with yogurt, ham (the waitress told me it was prosciutto but I knew better), cheese, fruit, breads and pastries, coffee, tea, juice.

It was time to move to my next hotel. After checking out, I walked with my luggage to the Academia Bridge and took the #1 vaporetto to Ca d'Oro stop. From there it was just a 5-minute walk to my hotel, Hotel Giorgione. It was a lovely hotel, my first in Venice with elevators and large lobby! In addition, there was a beautiful outdoor garden area with tables and chairs with a water fountain in the middle. Breakfast is served in a dining room off the garden. There’s also a bar and pool table room. The hotel serves afternoon tea and cookies. Check in was not till 2pm so I headed out to walk around the area.

Nearby was an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, a Coop grocery store, and a wine shop that I had gone to a few years ago. This particular wine shop had large vats of wine, several types, and you can bring in an empty bottle to have filled.

I had lunch (a pasta dish with pancetta and mushrooms) at Hosteria Al Vecio Bragosso. I sat outside in the shade eating lunch and watching the throngs of people walking by. I couldn't imagine being in Venice in late June or July. It was a very hot day, the hottest day yet.

After more walking around in the area (and more photo ops)
I went to the hotel and to my room, #215. I requested a single room and was told I would have a single bed; however, the room had a full size bed in the corner with a pretty corner headboard. The bathroom was much smaller than at La Calcina and no shelving for storage. If hotels didn’t install bidets, there would be more room. The best part of the bathroom was the large mirror and decent lighting. The room faced an inner court area, so it was quiet at night. The bedroom area was a nice size with a small closet, flat screen tv., and a mini bar.

Since it was such a hot day (and also having to carry my luggage in the a.m.) I had to take another shower before going back outside.

I walked along Strada Nova, which is a long stretch of street that runs from the train station towards the Rialto Bridge. There are lots of shops with souvenirs, leather shops, and cafes and restaurants. There's even a McDonald's. Why would anyone eat there?

After some window-shopping, I walked back to the wine shop and had my water bottle filled with Pinot Grigio for just 2.20 euros, all for a liter. What a deal!

I was back at ai Tre Spiede for dinner. They have good food and the prices are reasonable. I was served a glass of spritz, which is made of wine and martini rossi. I had the carpaccio, ever so thinly sliced, that had thick slices of Parmesan cheese and truffle oil on top. It was a deliciously large portion. Next I had spaghetti with mixed seafood-clams, calamari, shrimps, etc. With 1/4 liter of red wine, dinner came to 28.56 euros.

On the way back to my hotel

Back at the hotel I met a woman, Leslie, sitting out in the garden having a drink. We chatted for about an hour have a couple of drinks. I brought my wine down from the room. It was a beautiful night and we had a nice time talking.

4 June, Friday Venice Italy

Today I woke up late, about 10:30 am. I walked too much yesterday in Ferrara. I missed breakfast but that was okay, as I just wanted to sleep in, relax and not rush out of the hotel. It was another gorgeous day.

I headed to the antique market north of the Academia Bridge at Campo S. Maurizio and bought some loose beads to make into a necklace.
The market was quite crowded. All sort of antiques were on display including porcelain, furniture, dishes, glasses, jewelry, murano glass, books, posters, etc.

In the area I walked through the many small streets and took pictures. It was great to just wander around and explore the area.

Over on the vaporetto from S. Angelo, I went to the Rialto market.
I walked around checking out the vegetables, fruits, and the fish market, which was just closing up. There were many seagull were fighting over the scraps of fish on the ground and inside the plastic trash bags. Some of the birds were quite dominate and several fights broke out. I was able to capture the scene on video. It was quite a scene and very noisy.

I ate some cicchetti (like Spanish tapas) at Osteria Antica Dolo: fried calamari, polenta topped with spicy calamari, and croquettes that were stuffed with green olives and ground beef. All was delicious and enough for a light lunch. I also enjoyed some white wine.

I did some window-shopping and bought a few things. Gold was too expensive to purchase but was nice to look at the window displays of 18k gold pieces. And besides, I have my gold winged lion pendant, so I really didn’t need anything. It was a beautiful afternoon so I just continued to enjoy the city, canals, bridges, and crowds.

A quick vaporetto ride and I was at Piazza San Marco.
It was nice being able to hop on and off the vaporetto anytime I wanted to. The piazza was crowded with many people taking in the scenery, having their picture taken, and feeding the pigeons. In one shop, I chatted with the owner. He had lots of beautiful glass but I was in an area where prices are quite high.


Near one of the bandstands (there are three) a wedding party was dancing to the music. The groom wore a gold suit and the bride in her wedding dress was beautiful.

Another vaporetto ride to my hotel, I relaxed in my room before having dinner at Trattoria da Fiore. Dinner was excellent: Caprese - cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella with basil and olive oil. I have to say it was the best mozzarella I've ever had. It was so creamy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Next I had the lasagna Bolognese, which was very good. The waitress asked me, "Buono?" I said "No." With her startled look I said, "Molto buono!" She smiled.

After dinner, I went to the Chiesa San Vidal for a concert. I got a seat up front and to the right, so I had a good view of most of the performers. The company was called the Interpreti Veneziani, who has been performing around the world since 1987. The concert lasted 1.5 hours with a break in the middle.
It was quite magical sitting in a church in Venice listening to the beautiful music. Most of the music was by Vivaldi, but they also played the music of Bartok and Albinoni. I bought a CD to enjoy back home. (http://www.interpretiveneziani.com/index.php?page=26〈=en)

On the way home, I took some night shots.

3 June 2010 Venice

I got up at 6am so I could get the train station for my day trip to Ferrara. It had rained all night and I woke up to overcast skies and constant drizzle.

I got to the train station early so I walked around the area and had some tea at a café (Bar S. Lucia, Cannaregio 282/B). I was the only woman in the place – all the men were coming and going downing their espresso in seconds before heading to work.

The train left promptly at 8:27am and it took an hour to get to Ferrara. I walked almost a mile to the center of town. Ferrara is a beautiful city and reminded me of Parma (lots of people on bikes) and Bologna (with the arched porticos). The city is known for the Este family, who ruled from the early 1200’s to the late 1500’s, until the blood line ran out and the Papal States took over. After a long decline, Ferrara is once again a lively city.

My first stop was to the Castello Estense de Ferrara, a huge fortress from the early middle ages. It rained hard while I was inside and it stopped as I got to the top of the tower (about 130 steps). I enjoyed the views from above. Inside, several of the rooms had beautiful frescoes and paintings on the ceilings.

The rooms had huge mirrors on the floor angled up so you didn’t have to stretch your neck up to view the ceilings.

Down below, I visited the dungeons. The ceilings were very short and the two rooms I saw were tiny. The woman that led the way made a motion of of her hand across her neck - off with the head.

The cathedral just around the corner from the Castello (built in the early 1100’s) was beautiful but a little too dark for my taste.

Service was going on with a dozen people at prayer. As I walked outside the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon. It would have been nice to be up in the tower when the sun was out. Next time.

I dined at Trattoria La Romantica for lunch: Cappellacci di zucca, which was pumpkin filled pasta in a tomato cream sauce (more creamy than tomato flavor) with walnuts and parmesan cheese (a regional dish), and a side dish of spinach, which was a huge portion. The pasta was wonderful and rich in taste. (16 euros total with 3-euro cover charge).

Ferrara has lots of cobbled streets with colorful buildings.

There was an indoor market, which I visited, but most of the stalls were empty. I walked around the various area of town just taking in the city life. I had read about a ceramic shop, so went to find it. I walked along (on top too) the city walls, as a portion of them remain. However, not thinking, I arrived when the stores were closed for their ‘siesta.’

Back in the center of town, I took the bus to the train station and headed back to Venice. The train ride was 1.5 hours, but it was nice to sit and relax.

I had my hotel make dinner reservations at Taverna San Trovaso, a place I had been to before. The place was full and mostly with tourists, but it’s a place I enjoy going to.

The bruschetta pomodoro with stracchino was fabulous. The stracchino is a local cheese and very mild in taste, very soft and creamy. It was excellent. I also had the mixed seafood dish: fried calamari, shrimp, and some sort of small fish with firm polenta. With house wine and water, dinner came to 33 euros.

When I received my bill, it came on a ceramic plate that had the restaurants name on it. I asked the waiter, “Can I buy this plate?” He said, “Yes, this night only.” “In the next 60 seconds?” “Si”. Then he just gave it to me. That made my night. I was also given a complimentary glass of limoncello, which is always a nice touch.

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at Nico’s, a gelateria, and had a single scoop of pistachio gelato. Nico’s has some of the best gelato in Venice! It was so tasty.

2 June 2010 Venice

2 June, Wednesday




I woke up to a beautiful day. I’m so glad for the sunny weather and not too hot days. After breakfast, I wanted to see fishing boats. A group of policemen were near the boats, I guess to keep things from heating up. Some of the boats honked their horns over night, but fortunately, it wasn’t loud for me.

Out for the day to just wander around and take lots of pictures, I headed the train station area. I went to a souvenir shop and chatted with the owner. Back in 2006 I had purchased a beaded necklace for my grandmother. At the time, she was 98 years old. The owner was thrilled that I was buying something for my grandmother. I took their photo outside their store. Today I gave them a copy (5x7) of the photo. He was very appreciative and gave me a key chain as a gift – a typical tacky souvenir chain, but I love it. His wife was home, so didn’t’ get the chance to say hello to her. We talked for a bit and even got on the subject of the oil spill. He was very sad for the local fishermen.



I walked to the train station and bought my tickets for a day trip to Ferrara for the next day. I have to get up early to catch the 8:27a.m. train. People were coming and going with their suitcases, some with huge suitcases! With all the bridges in Venice, it’s best to pack light.

I took this photo, which is a favorite spot in Venice. Took it back in 2006. This time there are not flowers in bloom.



Near the Rialto area, I had lunch ai Tre Spiedi. Lunch but very good but rich: Spinach stuffed tortellini with a cheese sauce and fresh spinach. I told the waiter I would return another night for dinner. Three handsome gondolier’s sat near me. I should have taken their picture.

For my last two nights in Venice, I booked a hotel in the Cannaregio area, so I walked by to make sure I could find it. It’s in a nice location, so I know I’ll enjoy it.

Since I was up so late last night (1:30am), I slowly headed back to the hotel to relax before dinner.

Barb arrived at my hotel at 6pm and we took the vaporetto to the San Toma stop. Dinner reservations were at 7:30pm so we found a place for drinks (Taverna da Baffo). It had been raining since about 4pm so we couldn't sit outside. With our drinks, the waiter gave us a mortadella and pepper on bread cicchetti. I ordered a ¼ liter of white wine and the waiter gave me extra, “Because I like you.”

We had dinner at Trattoria San Toma. The owner, Antiono, greeted us. I made reservations before I left for Venice. Dinner was very good but a little pricey. We both ordered the bruschetta for our appetizer.




I had the lamb chops, Barb had the sea bass, which the waiter prepared table-side,

and we shared a side dish of grilled vegetables. The restaurant was not crowded, but it was a holiday.

For dessert, we both had a glass of sgroppino, a delicious and refreshing drink made with sorbet, limoncello, and prosecco. Here's a recipe I found. http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink1c5d696.html

After dinner we went to Barb's apartment for some limoncello and a nice evening together talking about traveling, family, and other things. I was back in my room shortly after 11pm.

Trip to Venice, Italy - First 2 days

31 May 2010, Venice Italy


I arrived in Venice on an overcast day, but by 11:00am, the clouds broke up and the sun came out. My flight landed about 30 minutes early despite our 1-hour late departure out of Philadelphia (lots of air traffic). I purchased the 7-day VeniceCard prior to leaving the USA, which supposedly allowed me to take the water boat to Venice. Not so, so I took the local bus to Venice and then the vaporetto to the Zattere stop (#2), which was close to my hotel.

My room at Pensione La Calcina is very small. You walk in and take 2 steps down to the area where the twin bed, night table, and desk is located. To the right from the entrance are 2 steps up to the bathroom. There is a nice small balcony with a table and chair and a view of a small side canal. While the room is very small, it is charming with it' high ceiling, hardwood floors, neutral wall paper and tile in the bathroom.

I met my friends Ann and Kirk along with Candice, who were in Venice for the day. We met for lunch at Alle Zattere, which is located just down from my hotel. Three of us enjoyed pizza (mine with proscuitto) and Kirk had a pasta dish. It was great meeting friends for lunch. The restaurant is right on the water, so we enjoyed the views of the Guidecca canal.

After lunch, the three went their way and I went out to explore the area. It was great to be back in Venice. The day was beautiful and there were many tourists all around.

I tried to get money from three different ATMs, but for some reason, I couldn’t get any money. I wanted to get euros while at the airport, but a note posted at the ATM stated “maximum 250 euros). Well, I didn’t want to do multiple transactions, so I decided to wait till I got to Venice. I later realized I was using my bankcard instead of my debit card. Both are blue cards.

Being tired from a long flight and no sleep, I rested in the room for a while before going out to dinner.

I went to a grocery store, Billa, a 5-7 minute walk from my hotel. I purchased an inexpensive bottle of red wine for just 3.99 euros (and it was quite good!) and a bottle of limoncello (3.59 euros).

I made my way to a vaporetto stop and headed to dinner. I met up with the three from earlier today at La Zucca. I had dined here two years ago. Delicious food (tagliatelle with pistachio nuts and a gorgonzola sauce; and baked eggplant – shared a liter of wine), and a fun evening. The place was packed, as it’s a popular place.

After a short walk around the area, I took the vaporetto back to the Academia stop and walked back to my hotel. Anne Kirk, and Candice took the train back to Verona.

1 June, Tuesday

My hotel serves breakfast out on the terrace in good weather. It was a beautiful day. I ate some yogurt, sliced ham and cheese, bread, fruit, and tea. As I ate my breakfast, I watched a long procession of fishing boats. The fishermen were protesting some new law where they cannot use their fishing nets and minimum size requirement for fishing shrimp, calamari, and other fish. As they moved down the canal, they blew their horns loud and long.

I stepped inside the Museo della Musica, where I saw many old violins and other string instruments. The music of Vivaldi was playing while I was inside. I decided to purchase a ticket for a concert on Friday at 9pm. I had the choice of two concerts, one being Le quattro stagioni, The Four Seasons. Since I went to a similar concert in Paris, I chose the second one. I believe it’s a variety concert (25 euros).

I made my way to Piazza San Marco and toured the Basilica. I had downloaded a Rick Steve’s audio tour, so it made for a nice visit inside. The ceilings of the Basilica are amazing with the gold mosaics. The Piazza was filled with tourists and pigeons.

I wandered around the back streets, took pictures, and then had lunch at Osteria da Alberto. It was my second time there. At the table next to me (all are close together) I asked the woman how she liked her pasta with clams. “Excellent”. I ordered the same dish and I agreed with her. We started to talk and she asked me where I was from. When I said Maryland, she asked where. Frederick. "Are you Monica?" Yes! "I'm Barb.” We had met via the slow talk web site (discussion board) and had made plans to meet for dinner with a few other travelers. Small world. I couldn’t believe we were sitting next to each other.


After lunch, I went to the island of Burano. I spent 1.5 hours walking around the small streets. The houses in Burano are painted in different colors: Purple, blue, lavender, red, orange, etc. Many of the windowsills had potted plants and flowers. It’s such a colorful and charming place. Burano is known for lace making, although I believe most is produced in China.


It took 1.5 hours to get back to my hotel. I had to change to a different vaporetto at St. Mark’s. It’s great to have the 7-day transportation pass, where I can get on/off anytime I wanted to.

I met up with Barb, Jan, and Sandi for dinner at my hotel (their restaurant La Piscina) outside on the terrace. It was a pleasant evening. For dinner, I had the crostini misti and the pappardelle pasta with duck ragu. Everything was delicious and filling.

While dining, we could hear the horns of the fishing boats. Towards the west, the fishing boats were docked and tied together.


After dinner, Barb joined me for some wine on my tiny terrace. Chatted for an hour or so. I walked with her to her apartment, which was located about 5 minutes from my hotel. It was a nice walk back.

Photo of the Day: Tarragona Spain

Tarragona is a charming seafront town located an hour from Barcelona (and only 20 minutes from Poblet). The town has many Roman ruins, including an amphitheatre near the water front and aqueduct. There was an outdoor market that was closing up for the day. A small portion of the aqueduct was in the middle of the piazza. How wonderful to live among the ruins!

Poblet Monastery

November 2009: Poblet is one of the largest Cistercian abbeys in the world and dates from the 12th century. Located about an hour from Barcelona Spain, Tony and I went with some friends of mine and went on a Spanish-speaking guided tour (English brochures were handed out). The monastery was a peaceful place and included a beautiful courtyard with a fountain. The library was filled with old books and we saw where the monks dined. We were there in the fall, so we had the opportunity to enjoy the colorful scenery of the area.

Marseille, France

Marseille Vieux Port

Rome 2009 and a Few Photos

I really need to do more with my travel blog page, so I have decided to try to post on a daily basis a photo or two from my travels, and more when I include excerpts from my journals.

2-5 November 2009: Rome, Italy

I flew to Rome via Dulles International with friends Carolyn and Mark, Barb, Carol, Glenn and Sharon, and Glenn and Carol, as well as a few other fellow cruisers. We spent three nights in Rome before boarding the Celebrity Equinox for a 14-night transatlantic cruise to Florida.

We stayed at Hotel Giardino, located in the heart of Rome (my second stay there – basic 2-star hotel in an excellent location). I booked a car service with Stefano of Rome Cabs. Seven of us squeezed into a large van – our luggage barely fit.

I spent the first afternoon alone exploring the Jewish ghetto, Trastevere (lunch at Al Fontanone, Piazza Trilussa, 46), and Campo dei Fiori. In the late afternoon Mark and I walked to see the section of a 145 A.D. temple to the emperor Hadrian, which is incorporated into the side of a bank. We saw the church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, designed by Borromini, an outstanding and unique example of Baroque architecture.

The group and I had a great dinner at Hostaria Romana. It was a fun place and we all had a great time. The restaurant walls were filled with graffiti and some of us added our names to the walls, although space was limited. I even peeked behind one of the framed photos on the wall only to find every inch of space written upon.

Glenn, Carol and I spent the next day together. We visited the indoor market of Testaccio and picked up a picnic lunch at Volpetti (47 Via Marmorata), a wonderful gourmet meat, cheese, and wine shop. A short metro ride, we visited Ostia Antica, an underrated sight with just a few tourists. The amphitheatre was quite impressive, as were the mosaic tiles in the Baths of Neptune. It rained in the morning but cleared up in time for our picnic lunch of panini's with olive bread, prosciutto, and buffalo mozzarella, and slices of pizza.

Tony arrived on the 4th and we spent the afternoon at the Roman museum and Baths of Diocletian. I was amazed at the size of the baths. I later shopped for bottles of wine to drink on the ship.

For our last evening, 30 fellow cruisers joined me at the Grotta Pinta lounge for drinks and tasty antipasti – so much food; we didn't go out to dinner. My friend Giancarlo introduced me to Sveva, manager of the lounge. Everyone had a great time.

The gang


Typical Roman Street


Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica

Delicious Pizza!
Outdoor cafe in Trastevere
Typical wall with planters hanging out windows
Vespa and graffiti
Colosseum at dusk

Sushi Lunch at Ziki's, a Japanese Steak House

I recently had lunch with my dad at Ziki Japanese Steak House, located on the second floor of the Annapolis Town Center, Annapolis, MD. There's a second location in Gaithersburg, MD (a lot closer to where I live).

The place was empty with the exception of 5 other diners. With its contemporary look, dark woods, hibachi tables, tables of various sizes, and sushi bar, I found the place welcoming - along with a cheerful Ira-shai!

I always enjoy sitting at the sushi bar so I can chat with the sushi chef and watch his magic. It takes years of schooling to master the art of sushi making.

Sushi is food that many people are afraid to try. "What, eat raw fish? No way!" Fortunately for me, having lived in many countries, including the Orient, I enjoy a wide variety of foods and I can dive into sushi anytime. Not all sushi is raw fish. A beginner can start with cooked shrimp, crab meat, vegetable rolls, even a sweet egg sushi.

I recently discovered white tuna, a wonderful mild-flavored fish, and I'll always ask if it's on the menu. It's my absolute favorite! It's almost buttery in taste and practically melts in your mouth. It's incredible. When dipping in the soy sauce, I only use a hint, as I do not want to miss out on the flavor of the fish.

For our lunch, we ordered the deluxe sushi and sashimi combo, which consisted of 16 pieces of sashimi and 8 pieces of sushi. Beautifully presented, thick slices of white tuna sat inside a martini glass with seaweed floating down the sides. Surrounding the glass was tuna, salmon, red snapper, and yellow tail.



The menu also has a very nice assortment of special rolls. We ordered the Queen Roll: Avocado and cucumber inside topped with spicy tuna (minced), and flying fish roe.



With every bite dad and I were in heaven. The chef kept a close eye on us as we sampled each piece making sure we were satisfied.

Behind the sushi bar is a display of Japanese dolls and bamboo boats for sushi.

I didn't look at their full menu but reviewing their web site, they do have a nice assortment of foods to choose from.

What I loved about this combination plate was the types of fish used. I've been to other Japanese restaurants where they seem to use a lesser quality fish or a cheaper type (such as imitation crab or cooked shrimp). The portions at Ziki's were ample and we walked out very satisfied.

Ziki Japanese Steak House
1908 Town Center, Blvd.
410-224-6598
http://www.zikijapanesesteakhouse.com/

Mon – Fri: 11am-10:30 pm
Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: noon-10pm

Second location:
10009 Fields Rd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

PS: How could I have forgotten the delicious fried cheesecake that we ate for dessert! Our waitress recommended it to us. Coated with a light batter and deep-fried, the very center was still cold but the cheesecake towards the outside was warm and soft. A rich ending to a wonderful lunch.