Ahh...the Food (and the Wine), pt. 7

We left the Italian Riviera for the last leg of our journey and headed for Venice.

It was our longest drive of the trip, but we managed to make a couple of stops in some major food capitols along the way - Parma and Modena.

We were in Modena (home of balsamic vinegar and tortellini) at lunch time. It was a cute little town, but we were in a hurry so we grabbed some lunch at this little place right near the piazza.

I ordered fresh tortellini "the Modena way". It was one of the best meals of the trip.

We left Modena and continued to Venice. It was a very stressful last drive as our GPS decided to go wacko just a few miles away from our exit off the highway. Driving in Italy isn't easy, even with GPS, so without it we were lost. We got off and on a couple different exits and proceeded to get more and more lost until the GPS decided to work again. We made it to the car drop off point. There are no cars in Venice. If you drive there, you have to park the car on the mainland and then walk or take a waterbus or taxi onto the islands. We lugged our bags to a water taxi and headed for the hotel. Once we checked in we had a few hours to wander before dark.

Venice is one of my most favorite cities in the world (that I've been to). It is so unique and beautiful. Unfortunately we were there over Easter and most Europeans have that week off. I think they were ALL in Venice. It was terribly crowded, more crowded than the last time I was there during the summer. We fought the crowds a bit at the more touristy places and then explored some other areas off the beaten path.

The Gondolas are everywhere. I think they add to the ambiance of Venice.

We ordered a bottle of Lambrusco (sparkling red wine) at dinner our first night,

And ordered pasta arrabiata

The next morning we went to the Peggy Gugenheim museum. After she died her home was turned into the museum. She had an amazing collection of modern art including this very interesting piece. Plus, her home sits right on the Grand Canal. Unfortunately the back patio was being remodeled so we weren't able to go on it this time.

Another beautiful canal.

The Rialto Bridge

We took a sightseeing break and stopped at Harry's Bar where the peach Bellini was invented. It was good, but it was 15E a glass, about $40 for two.

A view of the Grand Canal

That night it was lasagna for dinner.

The next day we took a waterbus to the lagoon and visited the islands of Burano and Murano.

Burano is my favorite place on Earth. It is a tiny little village with these amazing, colorful houses. It is such a bright, cheery, and relaxing place. Someday I want to spend a few days here just resting, relaxing, and painting. It's so peaceful.

More colorful homes.
Pizza for lunch

We then waterbused to Murano, where Murano glass is made. I had been to a glass factory here on my last trip, but had not seen the town itself. It was also very cute.

Heading back to Venice.

I love the colorful poles.

We spent our last night at Fondementa delle Zattere which is an area of Venice away from the tourists. It is quiet area, lined with terraces that sit over the water. The view is beautiful. Here we enjoyed some refreshing beverages.

Ahh the Food (and the Wine) Pt. 5

After dropping Marcie at the train station, we left Pisa and headed Northwest to Liguria, otherwise known as the Italian Riviera. Wow! What a place. This was an area of Italy I had not been to before so it was all new and all spectacular.After getting lost, really lost, we finally arrived at our accommodations for a few days. This place was not a hotel or even a villa, it was a castle, that's right a castle. We stayed for 3 nights in Zoagli, a small seaside town that sits just south of Portofino and Genoa. Our castle is owned by the Duke of Zoagli. We met him. We even had breakfast with him.

Here is our first view of the castle. It's nice, but just wait...

Here it is standing across the water from it. Sitting right out onto the water, the land across the way is Portofino. The black dot on the top floor, facing the water was our room.

Here is the entrance to our castle.

Here's the entrance to our room.
Here is the window in our room that opens right out to the ocean. We had two more; one on the right and one on the left.

Here's the view to the left.

Here's the view to the right.

This is the little town of Zoagli. The castle has it's own private gate and walkway that took us behind those buildings right into the center of town.

After a good night's sleep, we wandered around the Duke's property, had lunch, and then headed to Portofino. This is where the rich get richer.

Oh, pardon me, let me move my yacht. I do hate when it blocks such a beautiful view.

Portofino!!! It was so pretty.

We actually ate dinner here the first night and came back the second night because the food and wine were so good.

Good Eating!

Liguria is the birthplace of pesto. My first (and second) dinner in the Italian Riviera was short pasta with pesto. Oh. My. God. It was so good!

We finished it off with a sip, or two, of limoncello. Mmmmm! Mmmmmm!

Dogs in restaurants is not an uncommon occurrence in Italy. I like dogs, so it didn't bother me. During our second meal at this restaurant a small dachshund ran around visiting. As I tried to get a picture his owner, my new husband, picked him up to hold the dog still so I could take his picture.

I'd like you to meet Alex, I don't remember the dog's name. All I remember is that the stupid dog wouldn't hold still so my picture of it and beautiful Alex came out all blurry.

More to come on the Italian Riviera. It is too beautiful for only one post!

Ahh, the Food (and the Wine), Pt. 4

Really this would be part 3.5. After Florence, we headed to Liguria. I hadn't been to the Italian Riviera before so I took over 600 pictures over three days. I haven't had time to get through all of them yet, so I am going to take you on a little side-trip.
My friend Marcie was visiting a friend in Italy so she took a train to meet us in Florence, got in our car, and we drove west towards Lucca and Pisa before putting Marice back on the train and heading North to Liguria.

Lucca is one of many walled cities. I love walled cities for some reason. Lucca was no exception.

We wandered around the city for awhile. It was very cute and has A LOT of churches, but we had limited time if we wanted to make it to Pisa.

We had to have a little lunch before leaving Lucca. Fresh mozzarella is truly delicious. Nom, nom, nom.

Then we headed to Pisa. I couldn't drive through it without stopping to see the Leaning Tower.

I am glad I visited, but I was a little disappointed. It was SOOOOO touristy. Ya know the token picture where it looks like you are pushing on the tower? Well all of my photos have 3 or 4 people at various points in the picture pretending to push on it. But because I wasn't taking their picture, it just looks like a whole lot random people walking like zombies through my pictures.

The main church was beautiful.

After pushing through mobs of tourists we treated ourselves to some gelato. I know, what a surprise.

Almost to the Italian Riviera. More to come shortly.

Ahhh, the Food (and the Wine), Pt. 3

The next stop on my Italian adventure was Florence. I love Florence! It's such an amazing place - all that history, all that art.
After going through my Florence pictures, I realized I had very little pictures of food. We ate very well on this trip and I thought I had documented every tasty meal, but apparently I did not.

I guess with all there is to do in Florence I was either too busy or too exhausted to take pictures of food.

And why would I have time after visiting Santo Spirito, the church where the young Michelangelo self-taught himself anatomy using the corpses from the hospital

Or walking the Oltrarno quarter where artisans (here a shoemaker) carry on their families' centuries-old traditions.

Maybe I was too busy wondering through small churches with frescoes that are hundreds and hundreds of years old, which were created over other frescoes that are even older.

We walked past the Duomo a hundred times I think...

At all hours of the day.

Same with Piazza della Signoria.

We did make time for some gelato though. I think the gelato in Florence is the best that I have had, and we had it a lot!

The gelato counters are beautiful,

And a scoop or two is so refreshing.

The sightseeing continued for three days. We did eat, there are just no photos to prove it.

However on our last night, after another trip over the Ponte Vechhio

For beautiful sunset views

We stopped at this restaurant on the bridge and I did manage to get a picture of the sign.

Next stop: Liguria, aka The Italian Riviera