Day Eleven

Doesn't seem like 11 days... Then other days it really feels like ELEVEN days. Ha! The biggest difference the last two days have is that there is a car. A car makes all the difference in the world. If you want to go somewhere you aren't packed In with 100 other hot bodies on a warm day. You're able to come and go and adjust your temperature as you like it...not just pray the metro will start up for a breeze.

So anyway. We went to the post office and found as a retiree we can only mail 1lb packages. Really? That's the weight of the freaking BOX. Sigh. Best laid plans and all. She'll have to get the Rieblings to use their status to mail stuff home.

So. We went To lunch with Denise instead! We had a nice lunch at the Italian Mensa and talked and caught up. I got a picture of us together at the 31OSS offices as she still works for them. It was so good to see her!

After lunch we drove north to Udine... Following signs ro the hospital. That was interesting. We go to the original entrance... Even to the old building.... To the third floor. Neonatal wasn't there anymore. They moved two years prior. I knew we should have gone when Liz was 13! Ha. She didn't get to see the old rooms. Or the visiting peoples viewing areas... The new area is very modern and doesn't have the viewing anymore which makes me sad.

The secretary was so happy to see her and meet her and guess who's the director now? Dr Cartarrosi. The same dr as when she was there years ago! There was also. Female dr there when we were as we'll and she took a liking to Liz and took her back to see the babies :)

I got a photo of Liz with them both and will email the photo to them when I get home. Again on the camera not the phone so I can't post it just yet.

Then the long drive back and I knew where I was in time to side track to the old homestead as I didn't get a picture with Liz in it because the family who lives there was home for lunch when we were there last :o/. Hard to take a picture of their porch when they are home. Ha!

Then we filled the gas tank for tomorrow. It was at 3/4 full still. The cost? €32. Sigh. Expensive trip BUT it only happens once to take your daughter back to her old stomping grounds. Right?? Now that was a trip to Barcis and Udine. So really good length trips in there..self justifying. Can you tell? Ha!

Tomorrow is get up and return rental car and hike off base. Yuck! Catch a cab and head to the train station for the next leg of this trip. :o)

oh I do have a few pictures!
The rental.

Can you see who's gonna drive? 
Ha!
Too tall for this car! The rear view was blocking part of my line of sight so I kept ducking to see. And Liz doesn't say "smile" she just clicks away and moves on ... In telling you no one will believe I was in this trip.
Road to Udine looks a bit different. Lots more stores along the way and only two suspected hookers.
Zoom!
Gas prices...look good until you figure in the euro and that it's in liters. Sigh.
This is what we did when we got "home"
And after and hour or so chilling in the room after a lot of driving/riding we went to dinner.
We went to what used to be the Spaghetti House now known as ? Hum. I don't recall...and after all our travels were taking less and less photos. Sigh sorry folks!!
I did take pictures of the LAST Italian sunset. Makes me sad!
Goodnight Italy! Tomorrow hiking out the gate to catch a taxi to the train station. Off to Venice and on ward to Verona then on to Munich. Catch an overnight to Duessledorph then on to the Rieblings.

Day Ten

Ahhhhh awake
Look you can see mezzo monte (so?)
Our picture match this trip is Barcis. It was very pretty at this time of year.
Liz was hungry (no breakfast as usual :/ ). It worked to our advantage this time as there was a cute little place at the top of the hill in downtown Barcis that had sandwiches.
Liz's chicken looked hot but it wasn't spicy at all.
They even had KitKat gelato. :)
After I finished lunch I went to the potty only to discover a relic of MY past! A "bomb drop" toilet. I thought they would all be gone. Not so!!
Ha!
We went by the old apartment. Nothing new there. They have roll out shades is about the only difference. I don't even think I took a picture. Mostly because there were people home and it IS street level. ;) awkward!!
I got lost then figured out where I was... There was an accident on the way to the house on the little back roads. Better them than me!!
A trip to the BX for things I'm running out of .. And all is well with the world.
Back on the road to the clinic. The bowling alley is still the same. The BX looks so tiny (old one) yes, I know it WAS tiny..... However reality is jarring at times. The old commissary is something else and rebuilt. Burger King is gone. The hospital/clinic is triple in size and beautiful!! We went in and talked with the red cross woman she was sweet and from Udine. She gave us directions to Policlinico (and I forgot its full name was San Georgio) it's really a homely building...but it has memories for me... No pictures again mostly because it's not a pretty building.
Then off to figure out our way back to base with a stop at Ovvios (Italian IKEA) and the supermercatto next door... Bought some olives - yum!
Back to the room to chill for a minute and then off to dinner ... Looking for recommendations...
Tried to find the please on Marsure. Didn't go far Enough I'm sure but it was far enough... Ended up back at San Georgios.
Finally a real Capricciosa! Loved every bite! Liz had diavola. She enjoyed the bites she stole from me in Venice ;)
It's now 8:30 and I think we're done :)
Oh and I'm driving a stick for the first time in 10 years. Hard to readjust! Stalled a few times... Oops! It's a little Pugeut (sp?)
I'll try and remember to take a picture of it.
It's what they consider a full size. Yeah right. It costs like a full size. Yikes. Oh well it's only for two days the were back on the road again Ido need to get a little more cash However. We have one more taxi ride to the train station and a few more meals on the road.... An the party is winding down. Udine is on the agenda tomorrow. Then our journey will be complete for this portion.

Day Nine

Ah... There they are!!
I walked to the shopper and ran into huge swarms of gnats. GAG! I was wearing a light green shirt that was. Covered in black spots. Ewh!! So tomorrow is a car... Them seeing what we can see around here. I think well do the near things tomorrow and the far stuff Wednesday...I think I'll feel more comfortable with the bigger towns after being closer first..

Day Nine

Ok. Up at normal time. Off to price the steam punk masks. They were €125 OUCH. Yeah. They were not purchased!
I personally liked this one
Bear likes this one
While we were waiting there I saw this sign. Cracks me up
Then off to the train to catch ours to Pordenone. we had to wait. But but that was Ok.

Once we got to base we had to hike to the Mountain View Lodge. Not bad but no trees so quite sunny and warm. Right now were doing laundry and settling in for a bit. I think well get our rental car tomorrow. Well then drive to the clinic to get directions to Policlinico and the Udine hospital. Well also go to Barcis too... It's the one photo match I brought.
Well go by our old apartment as well :)
Our hazy view if the mountains
Bedroom
Bath
Living room with kitchenette
7pm... Now what?

Day Eight continues

Steam punk masks!
Dinner....
And a show...
The waiter dumped the ice-bucket for the champagne down two ladies backs. It wasn't burst out loud laughing funny until the gal rescued the champagne slamming it to the table and shooting a fork over a table. THAT was funny!!

Day Eight begins slowly.

I need coffee. Uh café...si café con latté...no included breakfast this morning. I have to hunt it down myself. The horror or if all!

I found it at the bar around the corner. Sat and had a nice café while Liz got ready.

Today was Doges Palace and the bridge of sighs it was early about 9am which in reality isn't early however early for us. We made it through with very few groups. It was nice as I sat in in a private tour for the grand room. Not on purpose. They sat with me...so I listened in for a bit ;)

We even got the obligatory photo of Liz with pigeons. :)

When we were done we went to the station to get reservations to which we were told we didn't need them. Talk about double standards! ;)

We then did a picture match from the small square by the station.
And NO photos on the phone. Hum. Slacker!

We went back to Murano for Liz to buy another present. And I was tempted yet again with glass. This time large sharks (these are 4' tall)
Smaller sharks (1.5' long and €600) sea turtles (6" long - $500€)
And cuttlefish (5" long - 350€) All of which tempted me however I resisted with the knowledge that much money is a trip to Utah for two!!

So pretty.

then back to main venice and the crush of people here! Wow! It's a mad house!
The lobby where I'm sitting now.

Day Seven

Bus to the train station. Well worth the 4€ spent rather than 10-15€ spent if we did taxi.
And our first adventure with hopping a train with no reservations. We didn't even have to move with a fairly full train. We thought for sure we would be booted to different seats. Nope.
Then when they come to check tickets I find that the high speed trains require reservation. Oops. Cost me twice the amount to get said ticket in the train - 20€ at the station vs 36 on the train. Oops! Things have changed since I was here last eh? that and all these high speed trains are under ground... We've been in a tunnel for 30 minutes! The thing was Pisa they didn't bat an eye at no reservations. Weirdness it has to be the high speed vs local issue? Possibly that there is no first class on those trains? Hard to know.
Ah well lesson learned. 
Riding a train is relaxing!

Found the hotel we may well have the exact room we (Suz and I) had in the past.

We're on Murano for lunch and talking about cost ... There is a family of 10 "adults" 7 kids and they were talking about the bill being around $25 a person. Ok. I had to do the math and it was about 550€ for the bill YOUCH. I will NOT complain anymore about our relatively small cost for meals.
Spaghetti with peppers and chicken. Yum
Bear enjoyed it as well! Ha!
Gnocchi - for Liz
And off to shop for Christmas ornaments.
Christmas ornaments purchased and shipping home. 6 clear red ones.
Two new friends in Murano :). They were 8 years old... Cute and had a shop out their window near the water bus station :)
One BIG glass of wine that Berry wanted to share
The ultimate view during dinner.
So Italian!
Finito! 
Our view us towards Rialto.
Ahhhh the life! 7pm and we will wander towards San Marcos then to the hotel to wait for the singing to begin. :)
Similar to the fish I emailed you about Butch :)

Yes - this is the spot!
How Liz is now sitting with feet dangling down. How funny!

We have wifi but in the lobby or stairs only. Good enough :)

We were going to eat dinner here... But it was a sandwich shop so we changed to here:
Nice view ;)

Behind us is a rowdy crowd for the Italy/Croatia soccer match. :)
And a fattening and filling meal was had by all. Goodnight Florence!

Day six.

Day six is interesting. We couldn't figure out where to go next so we stayed here and went to the Uffizi Museum. That was done by 3pm so back to the hotel to chill. I napped and Liz read for two hours. Hum. Not quite what I had planned... But works I guess. Dinner out tonight then Venice tomorrow. Well go early. Drop luggage and then take a train back to Verona if we get the urge that same day as its just an hour and we have a room booked... Again winging it...