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Epilogue - Sat 10 September 2005

It feels really weird to be home. There is a stronger culture shock coming back to America than going to Italy. It’s hard not to compare everything here to how it is in Italy.

Khryste cries at any mention of Italy, a photo of Italy, a TV show about Italy or sometimes for no reason. She really misses it and when I ask her why she’s crying she says “I’m crying because I saw how life could be.”

It’s been a year and I’m just finishing this journal. Not one day has gone by, since we returned, that I haven’t thought of, read about, wrote about or looked at photos of Italy. It truly changed our lives and spoiled us rotten. We seek out Italian restaurants and markets, we buy magazines about Italy, prepare Italian recipes and we only buy Italian wine. I just bought a pasta maker like the one we used in the cooking class in Siena and I make my own limoncello. We talk about our trip and we still cry, and we talk of going back all of the time.

My heart aches for Italy, I actually crave it and there are still many places in Italy left to visit. I plan to see them all.

Final Days - Wed 27 October 2004

Well, it’s the 27th and we’re still not home.
After her shower this morning Khryste says she’s not feeling too well.
“Maybe you ate too much Indian food” I tell her.
“Maybe” she says.
I get ready and when I come out of the bathroom Khryste runs right in. It appears that she’s really sick. When she comes out she’s white.
“I’m really sick” she informs me.
“Oh Honey, is there anything I can get you?”
“No” she croaks “I don’t think so.”
I call for a bell man and we take the stuff downstairs. I check us out and we get on the Hopper.

Once we’re in the airport Khryste runs to the woman’s room. We walk a little farther and she runs to the woman’s room. She hits every woman’s room until we get to the ticket counter. She sits while I check us in and check the bags. We head for the gate and stop a few more times.
I feel totally helpless and I don’t know what to do for her. I wonder if it’s food poisoning or the flu. I ate all of the same food she did and I feel fine. My poor Honey.

We get on the plane and the flight attendant notices that Khryste is green. She asks if everything is okay and I explain the situation to her. Once we’re in the air they check on her every 30 minutes or so. Khryste is in the bathroom quite often and I really feel for her. I can’t imagine being that sick on a 15 hour flight. She comes back to her seat and tries to rest but it’s tough for her.

I watch The Terminal with Tom Hanks, how apropos.

A few hours into the flight Khryste is still really sick and the flight attendant tells us that they will call a doctor on the ground to see if they can get permission to give Khryste a powerful shot that will take away the nausea.

While someone is calling, another flight attendant asks, over the loudspeaker, if there is a doctor on the flight. A young, handsome Frenchman who is sitting near us announces he is a doctor and the flight attendant introduces us and explains the situation. He says he can administer the shot but first he would rather try some pills he has in his bag. We agree and Khryste takes the pills. After a while, thankfully, she falls asleep. With about 30 minutes left in the flight she finally has a little color in her face and she can sit up. She tells me she’s feeling better. I’m relieved but I wish she was given the medicine sooner. It was sheer Hell.
When we land I call Shelly and tell her that we’ve arrived in Los Angeles. I have Khryste sit while I get the bags and by the time we pass through customs and get outside it only takes about 10 minutes before Shelly pulls up to the curb. I put Khryste in the car and load the bags in the back of the truck and we head for home.

Final Days - Tue 26 October 2004

The Final Day.....
We pack and call a taxi. He takes us straight to the airport and I consider, more than once, telling him to take us back to the Petersen. At the Meridiana check in desk the line is really short and when I get up to the counter I hand the woman our tickets and she says “this flight was cancelled weeks ago, British Air should have contacted you.”
Stunned silence.
“You will need to check in with Lufthansa and fly to Frankfurt and then to Los Angeles.”
“Okay” I muster “we never received a phone call.”
“Well you should have checked the flights before you came” she said.
Well, that’s fair enough but it’s kind of tough in a foreign land. “Thank you” I say as I walk away. Just what am I thanking her for? I wonder.
I go to the office upstairs and I am informed that there is a Meridiana flight at 5:30 this evening to Gatwick and I tell her to book us on it just to cover all the bases. It is now 8:45 am. She writes on our itinerary the new Lufthansa itinerary and sends me back downstairs. I let Khryste know what’s going on and then it is announced “the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt is cancelled because of fog.” Well, isn’t that special.
“You will need to wait in this line and change your tickets. You will be put on a bus to Genoa and fly from Genoa to Frankfurt, and then you are on your own until the flight to Los Angeles the next morning.” It just keeps getting better.
So we get in line and chat with the ladies in front of us who have been taking an educational tour of Italy. It sounds really cool. After 2 hours we’re hungry so I go get us some lunch. It was panini and something else. I call Shelly to let her know the situation and I tell her I’ll call her later.

2 more hours go by and I get up to the ticket window. “I’m sorry; you were not originally booked on a Lufthansa flight so I cannot honor this.”
“What! I was switched this morning and I’ve been waiting in line for 4 hours!” I spew.
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t help you. You need to go to the office upstairs and get on another flight.”
“Thanks a lot.”

I go upstairs and there is nothing that can be done. Plus, if we go to Germany we’ll probably sleep in the airport. Luckily I have us booked on the 5:30 flight to Gatwick. We’ll take the shuttle to Heathrow and we can sleep in that airport. She prints out our boarding passes and we go wait at the gate. Travel is fun.

So we get to Gatwick and take the shuttle to Heathrow. Heathrow is deserted and all of the lights are dimmed. I go to the British Airways counter while Khryste sits with all of the bags we’ve been lugging around all day. A nice woman asks “May I help you?” in the loveliest British accent.
“I hope so. We were supposed to fly out of Florence this morning but we were told our flight was cancelled weeks ago and British Airways was supposed to call and let us know. We spent the day in the airport and we just arrived from Florence now”
“Where are you going?” she asks.
“Los Angeles” I tell her.
“Oh dear, there’s not another flight to Los Angeles until 11:00 am tomorrow morning” she says.
“Yes I know. I was hoping you could help us find a place to stay, if not we’ll sleep here in the airport. My wife and I just got married and this isn’t the best way to end our honeymoon.”
“If it is our fault I’m sure we’ll help you. Go to that counter over there and the gentleman will help you” she tells me.

I go to the other counter and a nice young man listens thoughtfully as I repeat the whole story. He asks for our tickets, excuses himself. I wonder if Khryste is still awake. He comes back in a few minutes and shows me all of the correspondence between Meridiana and British Air concerning our flight. It shows that Meridiana never told British Air and the fault lies with Meridiana.
“Great” I say “what a perfect end to our honeymoon”.
He opens a book and hands me two passes for the Hopper Shuttle, two meal vouchers and a voucher for a nearby hotel, The Park Inn. Were saved! He tells me where to get the Hopper and I thank him profusely and I go get my wife. I explain the situation and she looks quite relieved. We go out to the platform to wait for the Hopper.


My beautiful Bride in London

The Park Inn turns out to be a five star hotel and it’s just ten minutes from the airport. We check in, bring the bags up and head downstairs to the buffet. They’re closing in 30 minutes but they don’t seem to be in a big rush. There are plenty of people in the restaurant and the buffet is incredible. Most of the people working there are Indian and a lot of the food is Indian as well as vegetarian. Great for Khryste. They have plenty of other things besides Indian and we fill our plates. Three times. Everyone has been so nice to us; we vow to come back to London for vacation.

Once we’re done we go back to the room in a food coma and watch some graphic, uncensored show about plastic surgery until we fall asleep in our big, comfy, king size bed.

Firenze - Mon 25 October 2004

We’re up at 7:15, probably the earliest since we were in Siena. We take the car back to Avis and it’s too early to check the car in so we buy a disposable camera and take some photos of the damage from our second day in Italy. When we check it in I ask if insurance will cover the scratches on the car. They tell me it will. I should have asked a long time ago so I wouldn’t have thought about it throughout the trip.

We go to the pasticcheria that sells the incredible fig bread/cake and the girl tells us that there is no more, figs are out of season. Damn!

We go back to the room to shower and change. I feel sad and happy about going home tomorrow but I definitely feel better than I did yesterday.

We go to the Central Market and buy some wine for Dr. Nate and a few panforte to bring back as gifts. We want to go to the great deli that we went to the last time we were here but we can’t find it. We do find another one so we buy patate arrostite, zucchini, fagioli, pane and il pollo con olio e limone. We walk to the little park in Altarno to enjoy our feast. Walking back we stop in a great little shop in the Piazza del Limbo that we’ve passed before called Bottega al’ Olio. The products are really nice and we buy some lotions and lip balm.

We also go to Standa to get some chocolate to bring back. It’s much cheaper than going to a candy shop. We buy about 25 chocolate bars and then we go back to the room and nap.



After our nap we walk around feeling a bit sad because it’s our last night here. We find a great restaurant called La Grotta Ghibbelina. We sit outside and order antipasto and a superb house red, I have salmon with green peppercorn and cognac which is fantastic. Khryste orders escarole and spinach soup to start and while she’s eating it she shoves her spoon toward me and asks “is this ham?” I take the spoon and eat it “yeah, that’s ham” I tell her.
We asked the waiter when we ordered if there was meat in the soup and he said no. Khryste tries to find another piece to show the waiter but there is no more ham. The waiter comes over and I tell him that there is ham in the soup and he becomes agitated and snarls “I cooked here for eight years and there is no ham in the soup!”
“Well I just ate a piece of ham from her soup.”
“Impossible!” he barks and storms off.
“Maybe a piece just fell in or was stuck to the spoon from another soup” I reason.
Khryste eats it in spite of the stray ham chunk, studying it closely all the while. Her main course is pasta with porcini mushrooms and she definitely had no complaints about this dish.

After our last dinner in Italy we walk a bit but it’s getting chilly so we head back to the Bed & Bed in silence.

I leave to go to a pay phone to call Shelly to let her know what time we’ll be arriving in L.A. The first phone I try is broken so I go in search of another. I find one a block away and talk with Shelly a bit. I am really sad as I walk back to the room.


Arrivederci Firenze

Firenze - Sun 24 October 2004

This morning I woke up in agony. The mattress on the bed it completely shot and my back is really jacked up.


Uffizi

I leave for the museum, double check the sign where I parked and realize it is for residents only. I need to move the car. I can’t find a spot so I then decide to drive to the Uffizi. I drive in circles through the narrow, one-way, sleepy, gray streets. It’s interesting to see the streets empty except for street sweepers and shopkeepers just opening up. Eventually I end up at the lot near the consulate and I park there. I don’t see the attendant so I ask a couple of taxi drivers “dove pago?”
“You don’t pay on Sunday.”
“Grazie” I say and take off toward the museum.
I’m a little late but I’m not too worried, in Italy a little late is not late at all.



Because I have an appointment I get to bypass the really long line. Excellent. I spend the next few hours seeing some of the most incredible and important art on the planet. There are tons of works that I have admired since childhood. The hallways alone are amazing, frescoed ceilings and rows of busts adorn the wide halls with views of the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno.



All of the art is housed in the 3rd floor gallery which covers about 8,000 sq.m. The Gallery of the Uffizi was also the first museum ever to be opened to the public; in fact the Grand Duke granted permission to visit it on request from the year 1591. Its four centuries of history make the Uffizi Gallery the oldest museum in the world. One thing I find amazing is that there were no women painters.

After my exciting museum visit I meet Khryste on the Ponte Vecchio at 2:00.


View up Via Por Santa Maria from thePonte Vecchio



We walk around and wind up at Pizzeria del Duomo for some lunch. I’ve eaten more pizza in the last six weeks than I’ve eaten in the last six years, but I’m not complaining one bit.

The place is crowded and we eat in the cellar which is completely covered with graffiti. Lots of people must carry magic markers with them.



Since we’re near the Duomo we decide to go in and check it out. It’s massive and impressive.
The Duomo is the end result of years of work that covered over six centuries of history. Its basic architectural project was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio at the end of the 13th century; the cupola that has made it a symbol for the whole of Tuscany was created by that genius of the Renaissance, Filippo Brunelleschi, while the facade that completed it was carried out as late as the late 19th century.

We walk through Fancy Town to find a gift for Alexis because she’s watching our apartment and taking care of Pearl for us. We go into a department store and find some really cool purses and we decide on one for Alexis.

We go back to the Bed & Bed and I ask the young housekeeper if we can change rooms. She says they are booked up but she’ll call Chiara, the owner. Chiara says they’re booked up and I ask about their sister Bed & Breakfast but that’s full too. I tell her “I can’t spend one more night on that bed and I want to check out.” Some discussion in Italian takes place and they finally agree to let us move to Bambino, the same room we began our adventure in. Yay!


Bambino

We move our stuff and change for dinner. With all that settled we go out to find a restaurant. We are in the area near Santa Maria Novella and we see Da Guido. I have pecorino, pear, lemon curd and honey for an appetizer, it is amazing. I see Fried Chicken “da Guido” style on the menu. I ask our waiter “what is da Guido style” and he says “I am Guido, it’s my own recipe". Works for me, I get the chicken. I wish I could remember what Khryste ate but I forgot to write it down. Sorry Honey. The house chianti was extra special at da Guido.

It’s been a real pain trying to park the car so we decide to take it back early tomorrow morning. After dinner we go to Festival del Gelato one last time and head home.



I’m feeling cranky because I don’t want to leave Italy but it’s coming soon so I just want to get it over with. Here’s me, “I’m tired of not understanding Italian and other people not understanding me!” “I’m tired of living out of a suitcase!” Boo f’ing hoo! I get over it soon enough and decide to enjoy the few precious hours we have left.

Firenze - Sat 23 October 2004

We take our time packing, check out and head north to Florence.

Autogrill anyone?

We’re staying at the Petersen Bed & Bed again. It’s interesting to go back to a city we spent a week in a month ago. It’s like putting on a comfortable, old t-shirt.

We grab a snack of some pizza after we settle into the Pesce room. If you remember, Barb & Phil stayed in the Pesce room.

This evening we’re driving to Rapolano Terme to meet Roberto and Patti and their kids. We’re really excited to see them. Rapolano Terme is south of Siena, close to Arezzo and it takes about an hour to get there. It’s a very pretty little town and while we’re looking for a place to park Roberto comes over to the car and shows us where to go park. It takes a little while to find a spot and navigate my way in.

It’s really great to see Roberto and we exchange hugs while we wait for Patti and the kids. A few minutes later they show up and we head into a pizza place. Patti is very nice and the kids are cute. The daughter is around 5 years old and the boy is almost 2 and hyper. We talk about our trip and the things we’ve done since Siena. I really enjoy Roberto’s company and I intend to stay in touch.

My pizza is great, it has potato, sausage and mushrooms, Khryste’s has roasted vegetables.

As we’re getting ready to leave I need to use the restroom. When I come out all hell has broken loose in the restaurant. People are picking things up off the floor, the baby is crying and the owner is trying to get everyone away. Khryste tells me that Patti got up and as she put the big diaper bag over her shoulder she caught the table cloth and knocked some stuff over on the table. Startled, she turned around quickly and knocked everything off the table; dishes, silverware and wine glasses. I can’t believe I didn’t hear anything from the men’s room. The owner, a friend of theirs, assures them that it okay and he’ll take care of it. We go outside, say our good byes and go back to the car. There are more cars parked around me than when I pulled in and it takes me about 5 minutes just to get out of the parking space.

When we get back to Florence I find a parking spot on the street, around the corner from the Petersen. The signage is really confusing and I can’t tell if it’s okay to park there or not. I figure I’ll just take my chances.

It’s the last thing on my mind as I drift off to sleep.

Umbria - Fri 22 October 2004

We woke up late and a bit sore.
I really want to go to the Uffizi in Florence when we return there this weekend so I make an appointment for 8:30 on Sunday morning. I’m really looking forward to it.

Today we’re going to Assisi, named for the crazy 11th century monk San Francesco or St. Francis. It takes us about 90 minutes to get there and it is an impressive site as you drive toward the huge hilltop town that reaches toward the sky.



The town is very clean and pretty; the colors of the buildings are soft and warm. The first thing I notice is the abundance of churches. They range from small and simple to large and extremely ornate. There are a lot of religious icon stores geared toward the huge tourist trade. There are also a lot of nuns walking around in groups.



We ate at La Lanterna, a simple family pizza place. I had the pizza napoleano and Khryste had a salad and an order of bruschetta. We enjoy our lunch.







We explore the town a bit on our way to San Francesco, the main attraction. San Francesco is humongous; two levels of the largest amount of frescos we’ve seen. The upper level was severely damaged in an earthquake a few years back but they’ve done a great job of restoring it. You can tell where they couldn’t restore it perfectly by the areas of white plaster.

St. Francis, who is the patron saint of animals and the environment, was born in Assisi in 1181 or 1182. He was the Son of Pietro Bernadone, a rich cloth merchant. Though he had a good education and became part of his father's business, he also had a somewhat misspent youth. He was a street brawler and some-time soldier. Captured during a conflict between Assisi and Perugia, he spent over a year as a prisoner of war. During this time he had a conversion experience, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis began taking his religion seriously. He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace. His family disapproved, and his father disinherited him.

Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance. He visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings. He began to attract followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded the Franciscan Order based on a simple statement by Jesus: "Leave all and follow me." In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares. Francis visited and preached to the Saracens, composed songs and hymns to God and nature. Lived with animals, worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves. In 1221 he resigned direction of the Franciscans. While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life.
In the Middle Ages people who believed to be possessed by Beelzebub especially called upon the intercession of Saint Francis, the theory being that he was the demon's opposite number in heaven.

On our way through town we came across the “award winning” Olive Wood Man.



He carves wacky stuff out of olive wood and puts it on his truck.

We got some gelato and headed to the car. To get home we need to drive through the area of Perugia where we got lost the other day and wouldn’t you know it, we got lost again. It is really confusing here.

We manage to get out of Perugia and on the way home we see..... IPERCOOP! This is the COOP times ten. Not only a grocery store they have electronics, computers, sporting goods, you name it. It was worth getting lost.

After leaving IPERCOOP, we actually get lost again. This time we’re near Chiusi. By the time we get home its 9:30. It took 90 minutes to get to Assisi and 4 hours to get home.

Tired from all of the driving, we eat a snack and crash hard.

We’ve done more driving in this one week than all of the other weeks combined. We are completely overwhelmed and in love with Umbria. I’ll miss it a lot but to tell you the truth, I’m really excited about going back to Firenze tomorrow.