Jetzt, geht's, Los!

After a whirlwind trip through England & Wales, apartment searches & scams, Greg's visit, Copenhagen, Italy, we dreamed of a sleepy vacation on a sunny beach somewhere. That takes planning. That we didn't do.

Soooooooooooo...we're off on a totally different tangent renting a car, visiting Thomas in Cologne, traversing Belgium and France, and returning triumphantly to Berlin. I'm pretty sure it will be awesome. Or a disaster. Either way- fabulous!

Update: Made it to Cologne! Thomas leaves this month for his service in Mexico City. Unbelievable that he won't be just across the country anymore. Damn world travelers ;) Trip to Mexico City anybody?

1st trip to Cologne 2007

Ian & Thomas Weihnachtsmarkt 2010

 We are trying to firm up plans for what the next week will bring. vague ideas of Belgium breweries, Champagne from Champagne, and Colmar- city south of Strasbourg. Let's see what we can do...

Colmar, France

Bologna by Towers

Ratings of our  trip through Italy continue, from Bergamo to Venice to.... 

Bologna

Transportation

Greg

4 Towers - My feet were the transportation, but after a fine new pair of Italian sandals they enjoyed it much more.

Ian 
3 Towers - Very walkable city. Can’t say I used the transportation. Buses seemed convenient and frequent. Vespas abound- ciao!

ebe
4 Towers - Extremely easy to navigate with a train station that let us out right next to beautiful, if a bit smelly ruins.

Accommodation

Greg
4.5 Towers - Greeted by friendly manservant who was eager to accommodate us in any way possible. Only drawback  - not much of a view, but a stunning rooftop garden. 

Ian
4.5 Towers - very modern hotel in the heart of Bologna. Staff was very friendly. Can’t beat the location between the train station and old city center.

ebe
4.5 Towers - Not quite as fancy as we hoped, the room was about average BUT it did have amazing air conditioning. The friendly attendant, excellent location between the train station and city center, and truly divine breakfasts of finely skewered fruits, cappacinos, and choclates I loved.

Sights

Greg
4.5 Towers - Porticoes everywhere! Beautiful knockers…door knockers.  Abundance of historic buildings.  A laid-back picturesque experience.

Ian
4.5 Towers - Buildings really tie the town together. For a lack of traditional sights, it’s  beautiful to just wander the streets and see the medieval architecture, the towers hovering above.

ebe
3.5 Towers - The porticoes are the real eye-catcher here. You can hardly walk down a street without them on either side. Plus I loved the salacious fountain that made the church uneasy. And the market was a marvel of cheap goods, sprawling out in all directions. We also saw an installation of enormous statues that was a fascinating backdrop to several wedding parties making it official at city hall.

We actually didn't go up int he main sight- the towers. We were more interested in just walking around. Still- not a lot to see. This is a city to live in.

Dining

Greg

3.5 Towers - Gelato capital of the world! BUT also snotty waiter capital of the world.

Ian
4 Towers - Prices were a welcoming sight after Venice. Unfortunately missed out on the big Italian dinner I was looking for. Overall, a tasty experience. Gotta love the gelato. 

ebe

2.75 Towers - Somehow we managed to avoid anything amazin. This must have been our fault in lazy planning, but I really thought we could just stumble around in the birthplace of tortellini and find amazing eats. In the very first restaurant we sat down, they acted put out that we were early (slightly understandable), snatched away a menu (rude), and then left us waiting for over 15 minutes not even taking a drink order. We left- one of the few times I've ever done that.

We found some things that were good, but nothing out of this world- except the gelato place (Gelatauro, Via San Vitale 98 (tel. 051-230049).  Run by Sicilian brothers- this out of the way shop we trekked to twice. Amazing service, lovely products to take home, and ginger, cafe, chocolate, berry gelatos that I wanted to bath in.

Overall

Greg
4.5 Towers - The city is the sight. Easy to navigate, plenty to catch your eye. A relaxing, fun experience. 

Ian
4.5 Towers - Cool city. Cool people. Cool gelato. Hot  weather. Italian. 

ebe
3.5 Towers - We chose the city to give Greg a little more sense of Italy aside from the wonderful uniqueness of Venice & Cinque Terre. Plus we had head about the food. While we kinda failed on the food front, but the city was a delight.I can really picture living here & loving it.

Puppet show featured puppets from different regions. Descriptions bordered on racist.

Fountain is not subtle

One of the amazing giant statues. How nice! He's giving that lady a lift....oh wait

More pics of Bologna

To find out more about cities we've visited, click on the "Ratings" tab.

VENICE - Less Bridges than Berlin, Just as Romantic

I have important news to talk about (new bunny, another visit from Thomas) & old news to record (4th of july) BUT editing down the album for Venice has me waxing on about it again. So, a few more featured pics....

Murano is a series of islands off of Venice. Just 45 min from the city and reachable by the Vaporetto. We wanted to go to an island, but I though Murano would be old people and touristy glass pieces. I was wrong. It also had a quieter atmosphere than Venice, the place greg finally bought a glass piece, and an awesome glass sculpture.

A steady diet of gelato kept us happy

Doge's Palace (note: you can take pics of he building, but not the interior. Not that it stopped many people)

Meow in Italian

Steves strikes again! We are a follower of Mr. Rick Steve, even if we do cringe when we are in the army of book carriers. he led us right here, recommending we try a cicchetti bar where you can eat a bunch of small bites for just a euro each. We had:  

Artichoke heart
ham with pesto
seabass spread
anchovy & onion

Ian got adventures at the grocery store and got us tiny octopus.  Greg & I were nervous, but not bad!

We came around a corner and a subtle rumble became a penitentiary screaming and clanking. Right outside of Venice! I've tried to find info on it, but not knowing the name everything re-directs to the Doge's Palace etc. A mystery

Our .50 cent gondola ride, just across the river

Love Locks are apparently a custom all over the world. Sweethearts put a lock on a bridge to symbolize their everlasting love.

Pigeon kings

What's not allowed in Venice? EVERYTHING

Last look at the square

It was awesome

The complete album if our ridiculous photo taking amuses you. And our ratings of Venice.

One of the most Romantic Cities in the World...with your Father-in-Law

Just the side of Saint mark's is lovely

The ratings continue as our amateur testers- us- run around Italy and give scores that reflect our views. And just to once again confirm that these ratings are just personal perceptions, the porn proprietor Larry Flint:

Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one.

Venice

Transportation

Greg
4 Gondolas - Water taxis (vaporetto) aka water buses. What a novel concept! Lovely way to see the city and surrounding area.

Ian 
4 Gondolas - Everything was very accessible. Only drawback was that vaporettos were very expensive. But who needs that when you can walk everywhere?

ebe
3.5 Gondolas - Train station is a bit far from things, but the vaporettos make moving around easy. They are a pricy option, but entirely necessary to truly see the city. Plus they take your out to islands which gives a unique look at the place and a brief respite from the crowds. Walking is the best way to get to know a  city and walking through alleys, along canals, and over arched bridges..."È una bella città"!

Accommodation

Map in the lobby

Greg
4 Gondolas - Accommodations were wonderful. Intriguing decor, fascinating building. Only drawback was night clerk was rather snotty.

Ian 

4.5 Gondolas - Awesome building with antique furniture. Air conditioner was a bit weak, wifi only on main floor, and lack of common room were the only shitty thing.

ebe
4.5 Gondolas -  The Pensione Guerrato was right off the Realto and fish market, this was one of the best locations I have ever stayed. Paired with true antique decor and lovey Italian breakfast (chocolate & coffee) I see why rick Steves recommends. Down-side is that Rick Steves recommends so there are many a Steves book around and it's like mini-America. Also, air conditioner & wi-fi could use a boost.

Sights

Doge's Palace

Greg
4.5 Gondolas -  From alley to bridge, to Grand Canal- stunning with every step.

Ian 
5 Gondolas - Everywhere you turn is a postcard. The actual sights themselves are absolutely amazing.

ebe

4 Gondolas -  As romantic, decadent, and rotting as one could hope. Even as a motley crew of Porters, it's magic. The Doge's Palace was overpriced, but Ian helped by talking them into giving one of us a student price- well done Ian!

Also- great Steve's tip: Check your bag at the Ateneo San Basso, a former church just around the corner and down the Calle San Basso from the Basilica's main entrance. and you can skip the line.

The only thing that hides it's loveliness is the throngs of us tourists.

These guys own the city & know it

 Dining

Greg

4 Gondolas - Highlight for dining was lunch on Murano. Welcoming owner, very attentive, hands-on.  Many tidbits of Venice flavors. Quite delightful

Ian 
3 Gondolas - Overall, a culinary disappointment. There was however, a lovely lunch in Murano. We sat next to Keith Richards- a little more salt on that salad?

ebe
4.5 Gondolas -  Tourist menus are always enticing, but dissuading. But what is the real Venice for cuisine? We chickened out and had lots of groceries and little meals, which I think did us a dis-service. Should have got our hands dirty and gone in for a big splurgy meal. Still, gelato greasing every meal and snack time helps. And Ian forced us to eat a bunch of little squids (video coming) which was a highlight.

And Murano's lunch was perfect!  Wandering in when most things were shut for siesta, we were warmly welcomed by the owner who charmed us all through lunch and served cuttlefish & Bolognase on spaghetti, wine, and we even tried Grappa (Fermented from the peels, seed and stems of grapes, it is clear in color and of high alcoholic gradation. This beverage is very popular in northern Italy and is normally consumed as an after dinner digestive drink).

Overall

Greg
4.75 Gondolas - Beautiful city, extra bonus Murano. Getting Murano glass ornament from Keith Richard’s shop- priceless.

Ian 
5 Gondolas - It’s Venice. It truly lives up to it’s expectations, even in the middle of July. 

Doge's Palace

ebe
4 Gondolas -  We counted how many mask/glass stores Greg went in before buying something. I think it was 15. BUT it was fun to see the city, every nook & cranny. We had serious fears about prices & crowds at this time of year and both were manageable. I like to get away from the crowds, but this was a city I was glad to see with the guys.

Looking out from the Square

Photo Post
Complete Venice photo album

Greg Porter Everbody!

Greg came, he saw, he conquered, and sadly- he's now left. It was an amazing two weeks of 3 countries, 7 cities, many meals, and incredible sights.

We certainty got on his nerves a bit, and he got on ours every once in a while, but everyone was on their best behavior and it was a joy to have him here (although I may seriously strangle the next person who wants to go shopping). He easily amused all of our friends as I uneasily tried to remember if there were many actually embarrassing stories we had told about him(ask about the watermelon story). Luckily, just laughs were had as he told ridiculous jokes, made inappropriate gestures, and described for me what "tender vitals" referred to (ewww!). It has been 8 months since we saw our friends & family. Damn that's a long time! C'mon over folks - the water's fine.

Along with the post and pics of Copenhagen, here are some pics of Greg in Berlin.

After a beautiful spring & start to summer, the weather was awful the whole time he was here. Luckily, Berlin thrives in gloom.

Greg & I visited Ian and his class and the boys were all over both of them.

Greg gets to know Darius who speaks with a British accent. "Do it again! Upside down!"

The great, the only- Hühnerhaus,

Templehof Park - the former airfield is perfect for jump shots

 

We went old person and did the boat cruise. It was awesome.

When he got on the plane (another close call, although not nearly as tight as the flight to Italy), he teared up, immediately causing us to cry. We watched him enter the security gates with his bags of goodies, and thought of the long gap in time between seeing those you love as an expat. The pay-off of European living, loving, eating, and drinking is worth it...but it's close. 

Complete album of Greg in Berlin.

Update:  Greg had a horrific flight home, but is finally there safely.

"I just got home. The flight from Amsterdam was late, so I ended up missing my flight as did most of the people on our plane, and every other plane that came in on that day.  There was crazy rain and bad wind and it ended up closing the airport.  KLM was awful.  I was in line for over14 hours trying to get a ticket. Ended up spending the night in the airport and not getting out until 10:00 on Friday.  Had to fly to Portland, then Seattle and andy and granny picked me up.  Yikes....what an ordeal!"

Lesson learned - never leave Europe

We bought the Baloney

portico & Porters

As a transition from the extremely unique Venice and Cinque Terre, we choose Bologna. That has proved to be a good choice. The city is gorgeous! Bologna fun facts:

• Oldest university in the world, University of Bologna, founded in 1088.
• America's baloney is somewhat similar to the Italian mortadella (a finely hashed/ground pork sausage containing cubes of lard. 
• The statue in the square was considered so risque the church covered up his man bits
• Tortellini and ragù alla bolognese are from here
• The city has many porticoes (covered walkways). The reason they are so common is because they were primarily offered as a tax incentive to estate developers because it was considered a service to the town. Some of the richest families chose to build without porticoes to prove their status.
• It is informally the culinary capital of Italy, nicknamed -Bologna la grassa ("Bologna the fat")
• The market in the city center is one of the largest in Europe

Creepy Restaurant sign

Local specialties include:

• Tortellini in brodo- Meat tortellini in a broth
• Tagliatelle al ragu- pasta with meat sauce
• Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese- Lasagna composed of green spinach pasta sheets with meat ragu and a cream bechamel sauce
• Mortadella- Pink Italian sausage often served in sandwiches or before meals
• Bollito- Boiled beef
• Zuppa Inglese- A colorful dessert of cake and cream



1st Bologna gelato




• Mascarpone- A very creamy and sweet cheese dessert

However, on our walk back to our hotel several weird things happened:

• Persistant beggar that would not take "no!"for an answer
• Meditation on the steps of the cathedral (St. Petronio) held by American teen with translator
• Woman asks the classic "Do speak English?" and proceeds to tell us she needs money for an "exam"
• Foot Locker salesman barking at passerby and holding a small megaphone to his crotch

Square, risque statue, and site of our many mallings

We also just discovered "Aperitivo" or Italy's version of Happy Hour. Every night between around 7 and 8:30 most of the bars and lounges host a complimentary buffet of sandwiches, salads, and appetizers with drinks. Plans for tonight- done.

A Bergamo Beginning

Once again, we are rating our travel experiences independently for y'all to enjoy (or deplore, either way). Bergamo was the first stop on the Italian week-long tour and while it was largely chosen because it  is a Ryanair hub for Berlin, we were more than pleasantly surprised. 

Transportation

Greg
4 Cappuccinos - Late take-off, on-time landing. Funicular was like an E Ticket ride.

Ian 
3.5 Cappuccinos - Easy access on the bus. Funicular was great. Didn't use it other than that.

ebe
5 Cappuccinos -Notwithstanding our near miss on the flight, it was basically on time, comfortable enough, and got us to Italy. Success. Buses and trains in & out of the city were inexpensive and easy-to-use, and the funicular was able to be used on the same ticket. The attendant even waved us on when we were slightly out of time. Love that side of the Italians, especially coming from Germany.

Accommodations

Greg

4.5 Cappuccinos - Gracious hostesses who greeted us with a family-like welcome. Fresh cappuccino & newly renovated flat with a fantastic view.

Ian 
5 Cappuccinos- Our very own B&B?! What more could you ask for.

ebe
4.5 Cappuccinos -B&B Donizetti opened in the last month and I hope that with success, it does not lose it's sincere charm. The ladies were genuinely sweet and a cappuccino and snack as soon as we arrived was  sorely needed. A shared bath would have been less desirable had there been other guests, but we had the entire place to ourselves and had full use as well as the living room.

Sights

Greg
4 Cappuccinos - An evening walk about in a fairytale town with charming lights, beautiful flowers, and tile roofs as far as the eye could see. Me thinks me in love. 

Ian
4 Cappuccinos - Beautiful old town that was a nice way to get thrown into Italian flair.

ebe
3 Cappuccinos - The old town called as it sits atop the hill. Gorgeous! The city was such a welcome change, so Italian. A really great first look into Italy. However, it's "sights" are limited and I wouldn't spend much time here, but would love to come through again.

Dining

Greg

4 Cappuccinos - Sorry Papa Murphys, real Italian pizza can't be beat. Top it off with a beautiful setting and I'm in gastric heaven.

Ian 
4 Cappuccinos - Pizza was great and just the right amount of gelateries and bakeries to keep me happy. 

ebe
3.5 Cappuccinos - Lots of touristy options (menus in English & German) which is bad & ok. A liter of wine lubricated the delicious pizza meal. Buffalo Mozzarella makes my world.

Overall

Greg

4 Cappuccinos- Although it's small, it was full of charm and the welcoming people made it a place easy to return to. 

Ian 

3.75 Cappuccinos - Beautiful old town with an overall great experience. A great way into dip your toes into the craziness that can be Italy.

ebe
4.5 Cappuccinos - I loved this. Really. Especially after the stress before the flight, it was such a relief to actually be back in Italy and enjoying the adventure we were on.

More pics of our Italian adventure