tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25305388469017754082024-03-19T04:15:28.057-07:00Americans In UmbriaA Californian's observations about life in a small town in Umbria.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-91955260903214664032019-02-22T01:56:00.001-08:002019-02-22T01:56:08.348-08:00A second home in Italy<br />
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The Stoic One and I are selling the first apartment we bought in Umbertide. In the photo above, looking at the white building, the apartment is on the top floor, the last two windows on the left. It is quite charming and up until now we have used it only for friends and guests. But the time has come to let it go.<br />
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So if you are thinking about a second home that also has great potential to be let out as an Air B&B when you are not there, take a look at this.<br />
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Having been through the buying process in Italy several times, we are happy to walk you through it and connect you to the right people who are honest, speak English and can help.<br />
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Life is short. If you are dreaming about spending more time in Italy and want a genuine, small town life experience, Umbertide is a great place to be.<br />
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<a href="https://visualme.com/umbria/#next" target="_blank">https://visualme.com/umbria/#next</a>Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-69791103053162162062018-11-08T09:29:00.001-08:002018-11-08T09:31:03.691-08:00Italian Citizenship Part II<br />
Well, the good news is I didn't slug the Italian bureaucratic, rude woman, or get arrested, but I came close.<br />
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We fond the building in Perugia, no small task. We drove to the parking lot at the Mini Metro only to find the entire parking lot filled with items for a fair, carnival rides, you name it. More cheap junk than you have seen in one place in all of Italy. Were directed by the police to on street parking place, walked up to the Mini metro took it to the major train station then took a cab to the Ministry Office. A bit of a convoluted trip, but it kept the Stoic One from having to drive in Perugia, a major goal.<br />
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OK so we walk into the building, down a narrow hallway and then into a large room with tons of people. I ask someone if there is a place to take a number, we get in line and finally are seen by a someone. He reviews all of the Stoic One's papers, including the name corrections, the city corrections, all of the bollos...or stamps....and then wait. Here is a copy of the stamp for 200 Euros but where is the original? We don't have it. We lost it. You have to have it. We don't have it. Don't you have a record in your computer I asked the man? Wrong question on my part. He glares at me. No....Sigh. I finally came to my senses and said, since we don't have it and we must have it, what should we do. Finally a nice young woman came to my rescue and said, go to the Post Office and request a certification that you paid for the stamp. And with that we were dismissed and they were on to the next poor soul standing in line.<br />
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So we walk out tired, and discouraged. I wasn't sure if we had to go all the way back to Umbertide or any post office would do. I saw a blond woman sitting by herself and walked in to ask a question. I said I have to go to the post office to get a new stamp. What is the stamp for she asked me? I wasn't sure so I asked the Stoic One in English what was it for and the harridan turned on me, and started yelling at me in Italian. I mean literally yelling at me. She told me that I lived in Italy and I should be speaking Italian. I said I am speaking Italian to you I was speaking to my husband. She says speak to him in Italian. This is my country and you need to speak Italian. At this point. I was homicidal. I see why it is a bad idea for people to carry guns just in case you run into an idiot such as this woman. I try a different tack. I say where is the nearest post office...in Italian...She then lectures me on the fact that it is NOT her job to know where the post office is. I swear to god, was like, you have got to be kidding me. I spluttered on in a mixture of Italian and English, which I will not repeat here. The Stoic One, thinking I was going to stroke out, said let's go.<br />
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So we ask at the information office, they tell us how to find the Post Office we go. We get there, stand in line with a million people and at that moment, Italy showed me her good side. We had a very nice woman. I told her of my harrowing experience with the woman at the carabinieri, and she said she was sorry. Then she said I am also sorry but we can't verify you bought this bollo. Can Umbertide verify it, which is where I bought it? No. You have to send it in to the National office. It could take months. Oh.....Light goes on. Can we buy another stamp for 200Euros. Absolutely. She does another stamp. We walk back to the Ministry office. I walk past the blond harridan, who is still in her office alone, glare at her and keep walking to the back. We give him the new bollo. You bought a new one, he asked totally shocked. Yes! Ok. Case is now complete. OK. So how long will this take? When do you begin the submittal process? 18 months ago...At least another 2 years. Sigh.<br />
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We left and had a lovely lunch.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-6433242132062856732018-11-06T10:02:00.001-08:002018-11-06T10:02:53.830-08:00Italian Citizenship by Marriage Part IFor any of you out there going through this process, remember the 3 P's of living in Italy. Patience, Perseverance and Purpose. Living here it is not enough to be patient, you must also remember the purpose of whatever activity you have started and persevere by never, ever, giving up, as Churchill said. Having said that, I wouldn't blame you if you do give up. Engaging with the Italian bureaucracy is worse than watching 3 Fellini movies back to back.<br />
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A little background about Italian citizenship.<br />
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Requirements of Italian citizenship.<br />
A. Citizenship is acquired by jure sanguinis, meaning you are born or adopted by Italian citizens. (Juri sanguinis is how I acquired my Italian citizenship by showing the Italian line from my grandparents to me. Another long and difficult process.) In the US, currently, you must only show that you were born in the US. <br />
B. You can request citizenship if you have resided in Italy for 10 years and can show sufficient income to sustain yourself, have no criminal record, and no issues with the Italian state.<br />
C. You can become an Italian citizen through marriage to an Italian citizen.<br />
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We are going with "C". So what are the basics of the process? They look oh so simple, but remember where you are.<br />
1. Applicant must be married to an Italian citizen. Check<br />
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2. Applicant must provide an original birth certificate translated by an officially registered translator, and have it officially stamped and registered by the court. (We had a translator in Florence do all of this for us. We highly recommend her.) Check<br />
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3. Applicant must be legally resident in Italy for at least 2 years after the marriage. Check<br />
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4. If the applicant's marriage was performed abroad, the marriage certificate must be transcribed and certified in the municipality of residence. Ok here is the first interesting road block. We were married in Newport Beach, Ca. We had to have our marriage registered in Vigo di Cadore where my citizenship was established. You can only imagine calling into this small commune and asking for them to register a marriage of people they have never heard of. Sigh. Luckily we have the nicest commune in the world in Umbertide. They called for us, explained all of the situation, and the commune of Vigo eventually sent a document certifying the marriage. They had never had to do this before and they were stressed out by the request. But finally, check.<br />
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5. A legalized criminal background check stating the applicant's judicial history. This needs to be done by the FBI and the state. The results must be apostilled by the US state department for the FBI and the state background check must be apostilled by the state department conducting the background check, in our case, California. This must then be translated by aforementioned registered translator and then taken to court to register with the all important stamp. (There are services in the US that will do the paperwork for you including the apostille.) The background search must be completed, translated and certified no later than 6 months before you submit your application. Eventually check.<br />
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6. Information given in both Italian and foreign documents must be the same in all documents. Discrepancy can be remedied by the Consulate which will certify that the various names and places refer to the same person. (For American citizens, this of course is done in English which means the documents then must be taken to aforementioned translator for translation and stamp.)<br />
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Number 6 looks harmless enough but it was almost a deal breaker for us. Some of the Stoic One's documents had his middle name on the document, some did not. So we had to go back to the Consulate. Some documents said he was born in Los Angeles, California, others said California, back to the Consulate. It is about this time that both patience and perseverance started to wane. Was this really worth all the trouble and expense? Each problem had to be addressed with the certified translator and the certified stamp and that old problem of US logic kicked in. I mean how stupid is this that we have to prove Los Angeles and Los Angeles, Ca. are the same thing? Here is where our sense of purpose carried us through. The Stoic One really wanted to get this done. So did all the documents again and translated and certified.<br />
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We received an email from the "Ministero del Interno in Perugia telling us we had one more "name problem to fix" and then to come into the office on Monday or Wednesday between 9:30 and 12:30.<br />
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The email also said to bring in all of the original documents including the original bollo for 200 Euros. (The Stoic One had all of the original documents, translations, apostilles stamps, EXCEPT for the bollo, but he had a copy of the bollo so we went off in a hopeful frame of mind.) What could go wrong?<br />
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-76107370681219134072018-11-04T09:33:00.002-08:002018-11-04T09:35:21.461-08:00Olive Harvest/ Raccolta delle oliveYesterday the Stoic One and I joined our friends from Calagrana, and participated in an olive harvest referred to in Italian as the "raccolta delle olive." Next to the "vendemmia" or grape harvest it is one of the most evocative agricultural experiences in Italy. The memories of this harvest bring to mind a simpler world where families gathered to help grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, but always family, gather in the olive groves to hand-pick the latest crop. Once in the fields, families shared their experience, laughing as the children tried to help but were mainly in the way, and listened as the old ones told stories of times past, and then at the end, when the harvest was complete, sitting down together and enjoying a meal "a tavola", at the table. Now the world has changed. Many families have moved away from the farms and into the cities, separating family members from one another, but the call of the olive harvest remains in the blood of most Italians and they return to the farms to help, if they can. Even if they can't participate, they respond with a far-away, dreamy look in their eyes (that is usually associated with food) followed by that deep Italian sigh and the expression, "che bello" or how beautiful when we tell them we have participated in a raccolta.<br />
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Olive oil has deep roots in Italian culture. There are more than 600 varietals of olives in Italy, the most common variety in our part of Umbria is Moraiolo which is known to produce olive oil that is both potent and elegant. Olive trees in Italy have been around since pre-Roman times. The oldest trees in Puglia are estimated to be more than 1,000 years old, although the majority of trees used now to harvest oil are less than 50.<br />
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Although olive oil is produced in all 20 regions of Italy, Puglia, Calabria, and Sicily bring in more than 80% of Italy's total olive oil production. Tuscany comes in at 3% and our beloved Umbria at a little more than 1%. Spain leads the worldwide olive oil production, at over 1 million tons per year, and Italy ranks second with about half of that production. If you are buying olive oil in the US there is a good chance that it comes from Italy, Spain or Turkey. Check the bottle to make sure that you are getting what you think you are paying for. There have been many scandals in recent years regarding people who have diluted olive oil with other oils, so make sure you check the label.<br />
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The "raccolta" in Umbria, as in most of Italy, is done by hand. It is for this reason that olive grove owners call up family, friends and neighbors to come and help once the time for harvest has been proclaimed. (In California recently some of the olive harvest is done by machines that wrap around the olive tree trunks, shake the tree and then, once the olives have fallen to the ground, they are picked and sorted. Needless to say this is not a popular idea on the small farms in Umbria who look alarmed as I described this American efficiency.) Our friends Nancy and Luther had participated in the raccolta previously and this year, we decided to join them and help pick.<br />
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Hand picking olives is a slow if basic process. Find the tree you want, make sure there is netting underneath it, and with your bare hands and pull the olives from the branch, and let them fall in the net below. Some people use short handled plastic rakes or very long handled rakes to reach the top of the trees. I liked to use my bare hands and enjoyed the feel of the olives as I slid my hand down the branch and watched the olives roll into the net. It was very satisfying if exhausting work.<br />
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The Stoic One was particularly prized because of his height and so was able to reach the higher branches. The trees we worked on were in sore need of a good pruning. I now see why this is such an important part of the spring ritual. It certainly makes the autumn picking much easier.<br />
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The olives were mixed in color. Some were a ripe, dark purple color, others were the colors of plums and others the green you would expect.</div>
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Luca was his ever helpful self.</div>
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<span id="goog_1032772408"></span><span id="goog_1032772409"></span>If ever you have the opportunity to help out in an olive harvest, I recommend it. It is a grounding, connective experience in a world that often seems at loose ends.</div>
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-71954608354552159292018-07-08T08:44:00.000-07:002018-07-08T08:44:09.368-07:00Miami, Florida and the sisterWhy Miami at the end of June, you may reasonably ask. Well, for one thing, it was cheap. But the most important thing is that there is a direct flight from Milan to Miami. No need to change planes, the bane of travel these days. My sister and I try to take at least one week a year to spend with one another, away from kids, husbands and friends. It is a time of rejuvenation and reconnection for us and a time we both really treasure.<br />
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This is the second time we visited Carillon in North Miami Beach. The bad news is that the hotel is located in a rather seedy part of town, the good news is the location on the beach. It is private, uncrowded and the sea is beautiful. The rooms have been repurposed from a Canyon Ranch Spa, so they are all suites, with living rooms and little kitchenettes. We had a fantastic view of the ocean and since I was jet lagged, I was awake to witness beautiful sunrises from my balcony.<br />
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The above photo is what the sky looks like just before the sun breaks through. The colors of the clouds are yellows, pinks and oranges. And then in a moment, there it is. Just a fleck of little thing that heralds a new day. I could hardly believe it was the sun the first time I saw it.<br />
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Being from California, I am used to seeing the sun on the opposite coast, and it is going down over the Pacific Ocean not coming up. I suppose if I were a geoscientist, I could tell by the photo which way the sun was going, but quite frankly, it looked remarkably like a sunset in reverse to me!<br />
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In a nanosecond, or so it seemed, the sun would be up and a new day had begun.<br />
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Sarah, not being jet lagged, slept through the whole thing. She would usually drag herself out onto the balcony look at the sun and squawk that it was already hot.<br />
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In spite of the squawking, hers and mine, we enjoy each other's company. We have the same sense of humor, the same politics, and a very similar view of life, which makes for easy conversation. I usually try to get her to do one "foo-foo" as she calls it, appointment a year. This year, I left her alone after we both were scanned and weighed and told our percentage of body fat. It was a humbling experience and the beginning of a type of spiritual awakening for the both of us.<br />
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She discovered treadmills after that, and I remarked how much technology on treadmills had changed in the last 6 years. We slept through movies together, talked of family, and laughed a lot. I recently read an article in the NYTimes entitled, "A Sibling Fight Survival Guide." A sentence in the article struck home..."Our hope is that our children will be one another's playmates at home and allies out in the world, and that they will be there for one another long after we are gone." This perfectly describes the relationship I have with my sister. We were playmates as children and are allies as adults. It's a life long, profound relationship for the two of us.<br />
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Before I knew it the week was over. Future ocean sunrises will be unseen by me until next time.<br />
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We did have a Moon over Miami moment.<br />
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With all of the craziness in our world, nature never disappoints. It is always larger than me and more spectacular than I remember.</div>
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Happy Summer!</div>
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-43294415729539759732018-05-28T03:34:00.003-07:002018-05-29T00:32:37.019-07:00Trieste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has been a while since I have checked in. The Stoic One and I have been busy playing host to visitors and traveling.</div>
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Our latest stop was Trieste a city and seaport on the northeast corner of Italy bordered by Slovenia. A city I had never visited before. As a matter of fact, ask most Italians, and they will not have visited Trieste either, which is a shame. It is a city definitely worth a stop. Here are my reflections on the city.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">L</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ike a butterfly pinned to a board, Trieste is a city we admire up close and personal for her past splendor and unique beauty, and yet we, like her inhabitants yearn for this city to take flight. Like so many grand Italian cities, Trieste has one foot in the past, in this case the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the 18th century, and the other desperately seeking a solid footing in the 21st century.<br /><br />This is a city whose history is long, complex and often bloody. She was colonized in second century BC by the Romans who called the city Tergeste.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3tUvlZ48Rd3orN1XAvS0l2R96Zs2M3GGLeIcNph-3Lwk3XPqzpWPkt_FDQRjPLEni5EW0frPhrJNsUQ0bt8E1FGiKwKKO0O6fymQVChofZdl7TTQWpW8whirRfPcnqeg9TgJtP9-eN0F/s1600/GOP_1892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3tUvlZ48Rd3orN1XAvS0l2R96Zs2M3GGLeIcNph-3Lwk3XPqzpWPkt_FDQRjPLEni5EW0frPhrJNsUQ0bt8E1FGiKwKKO0O6fymQVChofZdl7TTQWpW8whirRfPcnqeg9TgJtP9-eN0F/s640/GOP_1892.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The remains of this Roman theater are open to explore. Originally with a seating capacity of 6,000 the theater is only partially excavated.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNBjVFqSZgL5LXe60JnQ7xfI3gzaPifOUCzQvU1buO9DxCz3LFEE6kZf3Phn2vUuvbkF7B4zuTt4f95_-9x1E3ASIib28KassBS5wQujaW0eWxVXW_D4RDELYWn2QzsXNx1rxUK2sghE3/s1600/GOP_1893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNBjVFqSZgL5LXe60JnQ7xfI3gzaPifOUCzQvU1buO9DxCz3LFEE6kZf3Phn2vUuvbkF7B4zuTt4f95_-9x1E3ASIib28KassBS5wQujaW0eWxVXW_D4RDELYWn2QzsXNx1rxUK2sghE3/s640/GOP_1893.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> During Roman times the Adriatic sea reached all the way to the edge of this Roman theater, so patrons could enjoy a beautiful sunset over the water in accompaniment of their entertainment. The theater was discovered in 1814 by Piero Nobile, but was not unearthed again until 1938 when Mussolini had plans to replace the Jewish ghetto with monuments to himself and Facism. Once he demolished the buildings, he was shocked to find the old Roman theater under his ambitious designs. As our guide told us, something good came out of the hatred and destruction. Mussolini's plans were put on hold and the ruins of the Roman theater remain.<br /><br />After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city was variously ruled by the Byzantine Empire, Charlemagne, and most unhappily, by Venice. In 1382 Trieste begged Leopold III of the Hapsburgs to take over their city, and it seems to me their hearts have been with the Hapsburgs ever since. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />I am always amazed when Italians talk about their history as if it just happened rather than events that occurred centuries ago. Wander the quarter of Borgo Teresiano and listen to how important MarieTheresa is to Trieste history, and architecture. She is talked about as if she visited and left her imprint on the city just last week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the lasting gifts from the Hapsburgs is the Piazza Unita', which the Triestini say is more beautiful than St. Mark's square in Venice since it is open directly to the sea. If you look out between the two posts in the photo below, you will see the Adriatic Sea on the horizon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The piazza is remarkable both in size and the fact that it is the only large piazza in Italy that does not have a cathedral or duomo as a center piece. The buildings that surround the piazza are all secular. Straight ahead, in the photo below, you are looking at the municipal building.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitz7ef1AItG965YVdCkbtGCsJ-Emiaj1hD9gbLtoMscakin4ll6-lPTyuyDKj5vQbacq-dRn4JllYQKfZOLeaSIYsPyogKvKAeVp4sdIp1Kol7rIGfXnsJBDBB6abkFjS-PYtC4hYtW1-/s1600/GOP_1870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitz7ef1AItG965YVdCkbtGCsJ-Emiaj1hD9gbLtoMscakin4ll6-lPTyuyDKj5vQbacq-dRn4JllYQKfZOLeaSIYsPyogKvKAeVp4sdIp1Kol7rIGfXnsJBDBB6abkFjS-PYtC4hYtW1-/s640/GOP_1870.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is stunning at night and artfully lit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trieste, like Venice, boasts a Grand Canal, but truth be told, it is hardly the same. It was built between 1754 and 1766 upon salt marshes. The Triestini wanted an easy place to load and unload merchandise that was coming in from the port. The original intent was to have canals throughout the city, but the Grand Canal is the only canal that was actually built.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today it is lined with cafes and restaurants which make for a picturesque tourist walk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trieste is known throughout Italy for its coffee. It is the home and headquarters of Illy coffee that was founded by Francesco Illy in 1933. He developed the first prototype of the modern espresso machine. Trieste prides itself on being a coffee society fit for intellectuals. There are coffee bars everywhere and the pace for drinking and chatting is slow and mellow. Trieste is not Milan or Venice or Rome. This is a city with its very own rhythm and style. <a href="http://illy coffee trieste" target="_blank">illy coffee trieste</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To say that Trieste is serious about coffee would be an understatement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since Trieste has been at the crossroads of various civilizations, the churches reflect this diverse history. There is a Serbian and Greek Orthodox Church that are definitely worth a visit.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgralZSzgmpHZ_NNrvJ_XrUigGCGePqAyGAJsuWEmSHAQXLhxpBzgdqv3J-Uyg0WYGXENd4pBOdEKo5AJHzAVfKT-l9nII2M0zga-LFPWuq8lIwXRF16mmte8hchVunf98w5j8LowyI4mPx/s1600/GOP_1898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgralZSzgmpHZ_NNrvJ_XrUigGCGePqAyGAJsuWEmSHAQXLhxpBzgdqv3J-Uyg0WYGXENd4pBOdEKo5AJHzAVfKT-l9nII2M0zga-LFPWuq8lIwXRF16mmte8hchVunf98w5j8LowyI4mPx/s640/GOP_1898.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Miramare Castle on the outskirts of town is worth a visit particularly for the gardens. The castle was started in 1856 and finished in 1860 for the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. Unfortunately the Archduke was executed in Mexico in June 1867 so he never really stayed here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After the end of World War I, the city and surrounding territory were given to Italy. After the Italian Armistice of 1943, the Germans occupied Trieste. Under their rule, the only concentration camp with a crematorium on Italian soil was built. It is estimated that 5,000 Slavs, Italian anti-racists and Jews died at Risiera di San Sabba.<a href="http://www.risierasansabba.it/" target="_blank">http://www.risierasansabba.it</a></span><br />
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In May 1945 the Allies rushed up the Italian peninsula wanting to liberate Trieste but they were beaten by one day by the troops of Yugoslavia. Trieste was divided into two separate zones, one administered by the Americans and the British and the other part administered byYugoslavs. Trieste became a hot bed of spy versus spy during the Cold War. Finally, in October 1954 The London Memorandum was signed by the US, Great Britain and Yugoslavia giving the city back to Italy. There is a movement underfoot to change this relationship.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The city is mainly unhappy about the Italian taxes. They are at one with the rest of the country in this regard. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">James Joyce lived in this city from 1904 to 1920. He supported his drinking and writing habit by teaching English through Berlitz school. <i>Dubliners</i> was written here. There is a bronze statue of Joyce on one of the bridges. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trieste has not only excellent coffee but also excellent pastries and food. My favorite meal was had at Trattoria NerodiSeppia. It is a family owned trattoria with creative fish and wonderful pastries. Highly recommend it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.trattorianerodiseppia.com/" target="_blank">http://www.trattorianerodiseppia.com</a></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2017 a new Eataly opened on the waterfront of Trieste. Wonderful produce and products.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.eataly.net/it_it/" target="_blank">https://www.eataly.net/it_it/</a></span><br />
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Trieste is a city that is trying very hard to reinvent itself. Although the past is what will draw you as a tourist, the people will entice you to return. If you are tempted to go to Venice, do yourself a favor and take a tour to Trieste. The people are very welcoming, looking for tourists to help their economy. The restaurants and cafes are reasonably priced with excellent food. I can not say the same for Venice.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-75197645033829399422017-07-31T08:55:00.000-07:002017-07-31T10:23:30.014-07:00Summer Food Part IIOf course being in Italy is not only about escaping to the sea in the summer months, it is also about eating well in spite of the heat.<br />
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Our piazza celebrated the summer season with food and lots of wine. A perfect Italian rememdy, great food, great company and lots of laughter.<br />
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Eating on a terrace with lots of friends is another way to beat the heat. Just make sure that the sun has gone down first.</div>
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Smaller portions will still allow you to eat the most delicious things such as these spinach ravioli and not feel as if there is a bowling ball in your stomach.</div>
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Then again you may want to skip the primi or first dish and go directly to the secondi. In this case, a sauteed fresh tuna with shrimp dish and lemon wine sauce. The dish was both light and delicious.</div>
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The Stoic One has gotten into the idea of summer and made his first ever Salade Nicosie. It was as excellent as it was beautiful.</div>
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Good job, hon. Very delicious.</div>
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Finally, a great way to escape the heat is to head up to a roof top bar at a local hotel and enjoy an "apricena" which literally means...open dinner. It is a time for cocktails, appetizers had at your leisure from 6:00 until sunset.</div>
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Hope your summer is filled with beauty, great food and wine and most of all friends who love you.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-27703535186715605082017-07-31T02:40:00.000-07:002017-07-31T08:18:23.175-07:00Summer 2017 Part IWe are in the dog days of summer as they say. No offence to Mr. Luca.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOncqV0CQu0Xlyz0uHuueJ4OytGDAjpqemWLrY6ASJHyiqOYceif7zlirvs7CRJaoEjFDEZdFOgQqLR_6D6F-eidMHtJapVjvYhCGTu_neOc4nSK2lVYgWQa-tO4RTk0kk1S6NymEciV8/s1600/IMG_2767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1441" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOncqV0CQu0Xlyz0uHuueJ4OytGDAjpqemWLrY6ASJHyiqOYceif7zlirvs7CRJaoEjFDEZdFOgQqLR_6D6F-eidMHtJapVjvYhCGTu_neOc4nSK2lVYgWQa-tO4RTk0kk1S6NymEciV8/s640/IMG_2767.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Although the summer did not officially start until June 21st, for those of us living in Italy, it started the end of May when the temperatures soared to the mid 90's and have never let up.<br />
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What else could we do except escape from the heat by going to the lake.<br />
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First to Como:<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We both love this lake, and it never disappoints. Beautiful, clean water, soft sunsets and healthy fresh lake fish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, we did not see George and family, but we heard many kind stories about him and how the town tries to protect him from prying eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Taking the ferry across the lake and visiting all of the little towns is a true pleasure even if you don't spot George. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, we had to leave this calm retreat and head back down the penninusla to Umbertide. Ciao Lake Como until the next time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoCOO2SVP3sPucx09C2d3J53VCagEhS9GrY0-kMbpTCxJ3hlqKthYq95h_kLfuPE8IP9dM-mYKyHudygTZQv_MTBAdll9-uvc9k5sksQuQiZV1q_kDvglu9o1UQ_2xaNbEFgS-hAhJ_Pd/s1600/IMG_7389+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoCOO2SVP3sPucx09C2d3J53VCagEhS9GrY0-kMbpTCxJ3hlqKthYq95h_kLfuPE8IP9dM-mYKyHudygTZQv_MTBAdll9-uvc9k5sksQuQiZV1q_kDvglu9o1UQ_2xaNbEFgS-hAhJ_Pd/s640/IMG_7389+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My sister arrived and we decided that a trip to the coast would be a good thing. We found a great spa on the Mediterranean side and the water was pristine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">When the heat is too much, the Italians head out to the sea. A great idea.</span></div>
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-17436016873532250142017-04-30T09:52:00.000-07:002017-04-30T09:52:03.326-07:00Spring 2017Once more it has been a while since I have posted. We have been back to the US several times for work and are still exploring and traveling in Europe.<br />
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We had a beautiful spring for about a day! The say April is the cruelest month. Just when we thought the cold rainy days were over, we were reminded that it is still April.<br />
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Now, however, we have May! Let's hope that this spring time is for real!<br />
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The cherry tree near us was in full bloom.<br />
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They cleared our piazza of all cars for some political event, and the Stoic One took that opportunity to take a few photos.<br />
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We, or course, think our piazza is the most beautiful and without any cars around, it certainly shows its lovely symmetry.<br />
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I think that spring in Umbria is the best. Umbria is called the green heart of Italy, and in the spring that green reminds us of hope, growth and prosperity. Hope you are having a delightful spring.<br />
<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-79775142017146983432017-02-12T11:20:00.002-08:002017-02-12T11:20:30.844-08:00February in UmbriaIt has been a while since I have posted, as I realized this is my first post in 2017! We had a very quiet January with a short visit from my friend Leslie. She came with her daughter and her daughter's friend and they were having fun exploring the Italian cities. It is great in the winter because the crowds are so much less and the Italians are more at their ease with the tourists.<br />
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Living in the country side, we are very much tied into the seasons, and winter is time of quiet reflection. The light at this time of year is always changing and there is a serenity in the starkenss that appeals to me.<br />
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We make our plans for the year ahead, and try to stay warm! We have a pellet stufa or Franklin Stove, which we use a lot. It's important to get the higher grade (more expensive) pellets, or the ash will clog the pipes. Other than that, we have had no problem with it, and it heats the living room very nicely. They have different styles and sizes but we like this one that fits nicely in the corner.<br />
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We have been off to Bologna a few times. We love that city and found fabulous restaurants and shopping. It is a young city with a large university population (Bologna is home to the world's oldest university) which also makes it fun and lively, particularly in the winter. It is also home to a wonderful hand made shoe shop that the Stoic One adores.<br />
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On Sundays we continue our tradition of going to Calagrana for Sunday lunch. The food that Alberto prepares is second to none. He is a true artiste and we enjoy both the company and the food.<br />
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We began today's meal with pork popcorn! In the US we call them pork rinds, but these are a bit of deliciousness that melts in your mouth.<br />
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Then we were on to a fantastic shrimp dish.<br />
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The main course, or secondi, was beef fillet with potatoes and mushrooms.<br />
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Then to finish, we had carmel semifreddo. Wow! On Sundays, this is definitely worth a stop to admire the fantastic view and admire the artistry in the kitchen, and indulge!<br />
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Happy Valentine's Day!<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-53713671659635646972016-12-25T03:46:00.002-08:002016-12-25T03:46:48.252-08:00Buon Natale 2016Images of Christmas from Verona:<br />
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May all of you be safe, healthy and surrounded by people and animals who love you.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-85976421195323518712016-12-25T03:12:00.002-08:002016-12-25T03:12:33.296-08:00California through Italian eyesThe month of November, the Stoic One and I were in California and Arizona on a trip with the Florentines. We started out in Pasadena, the high school town of the Stoic One, where we rented an adorable craftsmand style cottage from VRBO. I think it was the favourite of the Florentines. The house was small enough for them, that they did not feel intimidated by the space, and I think it matched their idea of an "American house." We all loved Pasadena and can imagine living there if the circumstances were right.<br />
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It was Halloween, and our friends were quite interested in how Americans celebrated this holiday. We were with the Stoic One's family, and went off to a local haunted house that was decorated by the owners and attracted hundreds of people. They had cops monitoring traffic and had closed the streets. Unbelievable. I had forgotten how much people in southern California got into this holiday. They even decorated their mail boxes to get into the spirit.<br />
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After visits to the Botanical Gardens of the Huntington Library, which they loved, we headed east to stay at Flagstaff in order to get to the Grand Canyon. Crossing the Mojave Desert our friends kept saying "enorme" or enormous. They also came to understand the English expression "in the middle of nowhere." As Ms. Florentine said, "In Italy every where is somewhere. There is no nowhere in Italy."<br />
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Another lovely house rental through VRBO, but it was a little too large for the Florentines. I think they felt uncomfortable in the house and nervouse about following all of the many rules that the owners had laid out for us.<br />
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The next day we had a guided trip to the Grand Canyon, one of the main stops of our trip. The weather was magnificent and the scope of the Canyon is breath taking. According to our guide you could see all the way to Utah on this clearest of clear days. The Canyon is 277 miles long and at its widest point it is 18 miles across.<br />
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That is Mr. Florentine in red standing on the edge of the canyon. What you can't hear is all of us yelling at him to come down and not fall off!<br />
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If you look closely, you can see the river down there that created all of this on the right hand side of the photo about half way up.<br />
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We then went to Palm Desert to stay with our good friends Dorothee and Mike. The desert was sunny and warm and the friends were the same. The weather was perfect mid 70's and sunny. Another place we could live if the circumstances were right. Sunny in November. We loved it.<br />
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We then traveled to San Diego and again had perfect weather. Then on up the coast to the Bay Area to visit with friends and then down the coast.<br />
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Some observations by the Florentines:<br />
They found Americans to be open, friendly, and down to earth.<br />
The food, which they had heard terrible stories about, was delicious. They particularly enjoyed guacamole and chips, which they had never eaten before! They also loved mole and hand made tortillas, as well as American steaks.<br />
The found American spaces to be huge, or "enorme". The people, the houses, the portion sizes were all a little over the top for them.<br />
Finally they absolutely loved California and understood the American dream in a totally different way.<br />
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Buon Natale a tutti!<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-88464780070696868592016-12-24T09:01:00.001-08:002016-12-24T09:01:51.345-08:00Voting Italian StyleWe are now coming to the end of this year 2016. It has been a memorable year for us in many ways. As an Italian citizen, I was eligible to vote in this country, once I attained citizenship. In prior elections, I did not vote, feeling that I was not informed enough to make thoughtful decisions. This year I read a lot about the referendum, talked to my other Italian friends, read both Italian and English newspapers and finally made my decision. I went to the commune to get my <i>Tessera Elettorale</i>, which gave my voting location and I went to the voting polls and voted for the first time. It was actually quite exhilerating, and I very much felt part of this community. I received a stamped booklet that marked that I voted. I need to keep this booklet for future elections to show my eligibility. I will be issued a new card once I pass my 16th election!<br />
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Otherwise the voting process is quite similar to that in the U.S. The Renzi referendum was clearly not popular with the Italians. They thought he put too many things in one amendment and did not trust him not to turn into another Mussolini. They have experience with this so I appreciate their point of view. As you can imagine, the Italians are riveted by the American elections. Trying to explain Trump to them is as impossible as trying to explain it to myself. Democracy is a messy thing.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-8017310628469083552016-09-16T02:43:00.000-07:002016-09-16T14:10:24.790-07:00September 2016 updateIt's been a while since I have posted. I suppose that I am like other blogs that after a few years, the "newness" of things wear off and the posts start to diminish. I am facing the same situation. After 3 years here, it is becoming harder and harder to see Italy with "new" eyes. The Stoic One and I have assimilated into life here and now feel part of the fabric rather than an observer. Traveling outside of Italy gives me a jolt of perspective, or having guests will also cause me to stop, observe and comment.<br />
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Speaking of guests, we have had some delightful company, that caused us to look again at our life here in Umbria. I also recently made a trip back to the US for a work project. It was fun to be back in California, and it is always delightful to be home.<br />
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Many people have asked us about the earthquake. Umbertide was quite lucky and had no damage. The Stoic One and Luca slept through the entire ordeal, and had no idea anything had happened until I called them at 5:00 am to wake them up! Other towns have not been so lucky, and the awareness of earthquakes in this region, like California, is always in the back of our minds.<br />
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The town is in a subdued frenzy getting ready for their annual '800 festival. Even as I write this, I can hear them hammering outside my window, building god knows what. Will try to post some pictures later once their building sets are done.<br />
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Hunting season also started the first of September. For one week hunters are forced to stand in one spot and wait for the birds to fly overhead. Needless to say that does't happen that often, and does not have a very high yield for the hunters. The following week, the hunters get to walk around the fields and shoot at the birds which fly overhead. The third week the hunters are finally allowed to take their dogs out in the field and hunt. I'm not sure the reason for this controlled opening. Maybe it is to give the birds a head start? Anyway, we hear lots of gunshots, which in a stone town reverberates like heck, but we haven't seen any dead birds appearing on our door step. Thank heavens. Our neighbor did kill all of her chickens, telling me their hour of death was at hand. New chicks had arrived, and so the old ones were killed to be eaten later. Not much sentimentality here about life and death.<br />
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We went to our neighbor's youngest son's confirmation (la Cresima) on Sunday. The church was jammed. They had 40 young people being confirmed and family and friends were there for all of the 40 participants, including yours truly. Apparently you can not be married in a Catholic church in Italy unless you have been confirmed, so this is a guarantee for admittance to the next sacrament, marriage. Let's hope that is a long way off for the boys.<br />
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The Bishop from Gubbio officates this ceremony, and like last time, he was late. The empty chairs are for the young people who process in once the Bishop is "in the house." We spent our time chit chatting and looking at all of the ladies in their high heels and lovely dresses. Finally, every thing was in place. Then mass, then finally we are all released to have a lovely pranzo.<br />
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It was more fun to be outside with the kids and watch them draw the outfits of all of the ladies.<br />
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Someone told me that Italians practise Catholicism but they didn't believe in it. So what is a "practising" Catholic? Here is one list. I would say most Italians do number 3, 4, 7 and 8. I guess that means they are "semi-practising."<br />
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<span class="ya-q-full-text" id="yui_3_17_2_3_1474018296506_2089" itemprop="text">1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. </span></div>
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<span class="ya-q-full-text" itemprop="text"><br />2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.<br /><br />3. You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.<br /><br />4. You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.<br /><br />5. You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.<br /><br />6. The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities<br /><br />7. You shall marry according to the laws of the Church.<br /><br />8. You shall raise your children in the Catholic faith and provide a Catholic education for them ( this can be in the parish school, or in CCD) </span></div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-52835930596369011742016-07-28T03:25:00.000-07:002016-07-28T03:29:27.533-07:00Bassano del Grappa, ItalyThis is my final post from this trip. When we left Austria and crossed over into Italy, my spirits lifted. As we crossed the border there was confusion, the autogrill stop was a mess, things seemed mildly chaotic, the drivers were maniacs. Home! Strange isn't it, what we bring into our heart that feels like home. The Stoic One said I would be happy once I got to the "home of my people" and he was right. Italy is far from perfect, but for me it is real, the good and the bad mix easily. I'm not afraid to look under the covers in Italy, all the mess is right out there in the open to see.<br />
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So Bassano del Grappa. A sweet little town. Here are some photos.<br />
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A twenty four hour clock tower that was originally built in 1430. It has had a few updates in the last 600 years. </div>
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The town has the look of some of the buildings in Venice, and indeed its history has been strongly influenced by Venetian culture.</div>
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The Ponte Vecchio, not the one in Florence, is the symbol of the city. It goes over the Brenta River. The bridge was originally designed by Palladio in 1569. It's been destroyed and rebuilt several times. We saw bullet holes in the buildings next to bridge a remnant of one of the wars.<br />
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A bit of Italian patriotism as you walk across the bridge.</div>
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And what would a return trip to Italy be without some food shots.</div>
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And finally, the grappa museum. Fun place to wander.</div>
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And there you have it folks. A fascinating trip. One of the things we wanted to do when we moved to Italy was to explore nearby countries, and yet it has become harder and harder for me to leave Italy, for I have fallen deeply, madly in love with this chaotic, mess of a country. Yes, it isn't perfect, and yet......</div>
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On the other hand, I was also quite taken by Slovenia. I was suprised at how great all the roads were on our trip, except for the dreaded E45 in Italy. The rest of the roads were very good. We stayed on the main highways and had no problems.</div>
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I was surpised at how much you can learn about a country by their road signs. In Austria, a very common highway sign was "Be Fair Take Care". It must be an effective admonition for the Austrians to drive safely, as it is used frequently. I can't imagine it having much effect in the US, and I doubt it would even be seen by Italians zooming by. </div>
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It was a fascinating trip with good friends. Can't wait for the next one.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-7535124608666651222016-07-27T07:41:00.000-07:002016-07-27T07:45:46.063-07:00Durnstein, AustriaWe drove through Poland, and the Czech republic in order to get to Austria, about a 5 hour drive. Now a word about "vignettes". No, not the literary device. I'm talking about a road tax that you must pay, and then put a little slip of paper on your windshield as you drive through Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Austria. Additionally, if you are driving through Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary or Romania, which we did not, you also have to pay. It is not always obvious that this toll is required, so be attentive when you cross borders and see if people are pulling over for some type of sticker. Our friends Dorothee and Mike were subjected to a big fine going through Austria so be attentive.<br />
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So we arrived in Austria to the little town of Durnstein in the Wachau area which is part of the Danube Valley. There are many wineries in this area, and some of the best white wine that I have had in Europe. Nancy picked this town for us because it was a five hour drive out, and she knew the area. It is picturesque and peaceful.<br />
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Durnstein's major claim to fame involves Richard the Lionhearted. Barbarossa, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1188 had promised the pope that he would participate in the third crusade to retake Jerusalem. As luck would have it, Barbarossa died on the trip and infighting broke about among the leaders as to who would get the loot and who would be in control. Richard tore down the Austrian flag and this ticked off Duke of Babenberg from Austria. On the way home back to England Richard was shipwrecked off the coast of Italy. He tried to get home through Germany but was recognized when his servant attempted to pay for food with a "suspicious" Byzantine coin. He was taken prisoner and imprisoned in.....Durnstein. (You knew there had to be a point here somewhere, right?) His imprisonment wasn't too bad as he could have visitors and troubadours to amuse him. The English paid a king's ransom for him and he was returned to England in 1194 after a 2 year stay.<br />
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Richard's mother was Eleonor of Aquitaine, one of my favorite historical figures. She was strong, smart and determined. Here is a placque about her.<br />
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These plaques were used throughout town and always explained the characters using the first person which I thought was quite creative.<br />
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We again stayed in a lovely, historic hotel, the Hotel Richard Lowenherz, which was a former Augustinian monestary originally built in 1340.It was later repurposed to a tavern, and then the current owners, the Thiery family, bought it in 1884 and have managed it as a hotel since then. This is the back of the property which shows the remaining monestary wall.<br />
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This monastery, called the Durnstein Monastery was built in 1720 on a site of an older building form 1410. I loved the blue color. It was recently cleaned last summer and is like an exquisite piece of sculpture.</div>
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This is the clock tower. Lovely isn't it?<br />
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.We took a river boat cruise down the Danube to Melk. Very tranquil trip inspite of the storm.<br />
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Tomorrow, we return to Italy!<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-65879629582491474952016-07-27T06:22:00.000-07:002016-07-27T06:46:31.209-07:00KrakowWill, a good friend of ours, told us to see Auschwitz as the last site we visited in Poland because of the trauma of it. In retrospect, this was good advise, but it didn't work out that way. The heavy feelings generated by my experience at Auschwitz stayed with me. My sadness probably colored my experience of Krakow, although I was still able to experience Krakow as a charming city with great food.<br />
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The city is going through a restoration period of the old part of town. Note the difference in these two buildings. The one on the left has been rennovated and the one on the left is still waiting for someone's tender loving care.</div>
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Beetroot soup. The color is a bit off putting, but it was surprisingly delicious.<br />
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In Poland we are back to the Roman Catholic church, which in Poland is socially conservative which puts the church at a bit of odds with the current pope. Poland is deeply religious. It has more church parishes than it does hospitals or schools, and unlike Italy, people in Poland still attend mass. As you may recall, Pope John Paul II was born in Wadowice, Poland. Being socially conservative the church struggles with Pope Francis's attempt at inclusion, as well as his edicts about a humble life style. According to one article, the Polish cleric are particularly sensitive to this as some Polish clergy have a very lavish life style.<br />
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Certainly the churches that we saw were anything but modest, but I don't think that this makes Polish catholic churches the exception.<br />
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We did a tour of the city and realized we had not seen most of it. Many of us wished we had one more day, but I was ready to move on.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-17434212387896367072016-07-27T01:19:00.001-07:002016-07-29T07:24:44.729-07:00Auschwitz; Oświęcim, Poland<br />
We arrived in Krakow after a four and a half hour drive from Slovakia. Nancy had made arrangements for us to take a tour out to Auschwitz the next day, so we had a bit of time to acclimate ourselves.<br />
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The first thing I noticed was the name of the city. The Germans changed the name of the city from Oświęcim to Auschwitz. The town now uses the Polish name, Oświęcim for the community outside of the camp, but the world still knows and calls this place by its German name: Auschwitz.<br />
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As bad as I thought it would be to visit this place, it was worse. A Jewish rabbi friend of mine said that we honor the dead by remembering, and we remember by making these types of journeys. I know that is true, and it is horrific to see and experience this place first hand.<br />
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The day of our visit was cloudy and bleak befitting the circumstances of the place. We took a bus from Krakow out to the the camp. I was surprised that the buildings on the compound were all made of brick. For some reason, in my mind, I thought they would have been made of wood. It was originally built to hold Polish political prisoners.<br />
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Here are some facts:<br />
* More people died in Auschwitz than all of the combined loses of British and Americans in WWII.<br />
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* 1.1 million people died during the four and a half years of Auschwitz's existence.<br />
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* Only 144 people were known to have escaped from Auschwitz.<br />
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* Witold Pilecki, a Polish soldier, volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz in order to gather information, escape and let the world know about the mass murders that were being committed there.<br />
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*The camp commandant was arrested in 1946, convicted of murder and hanged at the camp.<br />
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People during the war arrived by train on these tracks. A decision was immediately made whether they were fit for work or if they would immediately go to the gas chamber. Old people, children, the infirm were immediately sent to be killed.<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">They initially entered through this gate with the cast iron sign over it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Arbeit macht frei</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Originally the Nazis took photographs of entering people to identify them. There was a wall of photographs that we walked by that was haunting and incredibly sad. Soon the Nazis realised that after three months, the photographs were useless because the people were no longer recognizable as a result of starvation and unrelenting manual labor. They then came up with the idea of tattoos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We saw the building where some children were originally kept. Generally they murdered the children immediately since they couldn't work, so I don't know how these children survived for a while.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We saw rooms of shoes, glasses, hair, items that had been carefully saved by the Nazis.. Personal items of the arrivals were stored in a building that the camp people called "Canada" because in their mind that was the land of plenty. It was almost unbearable to go through the exhibits. So many lives lost for no reason. Such deprivation and unrelenting dehumanising behaviours from the guards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The question is how do human beings become so disassociated from their better selves that they can do something like this? The Nazis did not view the people in the camp as human. They made the "other" so vile in their own minds that it didn't matter if they were worked to death or starved to death. The purpose of the camp was to kill people. People lasted only about 3 months at the camp. Disease, starvation, and/or the gas chamber killed 1.1 million people in this place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is important to remember that we human beings are capable of doing such a thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even though the Allies knew, more or less, what was going on here, they did not bomb the tracks leading into the camp as had been requested by a Jewish Community to the Assistant Secretary of War, John J McCloy. The Russians were the ones to liberate the camp.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I include this as a piece of reflection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/09/auschwitz-allied-bomb-second-world-war" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/09/auschwitz-allied-bomb-second-world-war</a></span></div>
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It is important to remember that we must never vilify the "other" to such an extent that we lose the sense of our common connection with them. No matter how evil we believe their acts are we are all of the same human race.</div>
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The next week after we were in Auschwitz Pope Francis was there.</div>
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<a href="http://pope in auschwitz" target="_blank">pope in auschwitz</a></div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-79210434539676502152016-07-25T03:27:00.000-07:002016-07-25T05:00:57.792-07:00Bratislava, SlovakiaSlovakia felt very different than Slovenia. Less playful, more serious, more closed rather than open. It could be because Slovakia is the recently appointed 6 month home of the rotating President of the European Counsel, a political governing instituion of the EU. According to a Slovakian web site:<br />
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"It is not enough for the country holding the Presidency to be merely the 'manager' of the Council and the Council's voice for its six monthis in office. It must also act as an honest and neutral broker, working towards consensus between all Member States and the other institutions of the Union."<br />
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Slovakia as established as a country in 1993, has a population of 5.4 million, more than twice the size of Slovenia. It joined the EU in 2004, and like Slovenia, its currency is the Euro. Slovenia was part of the ex-Yugolsalvia and Slovakia was part of the ex-Czechoslovakia. George W. Bush, remember him? got the two confused when he was president, so try hard not to follow his example! Bratislava is in Slovakia. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia. Ok, back to Bratislava. It was HOT, HOT, HOT while we were there so not too many photos.<br />
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The main square with surrounding embassies.<br />
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This is a picture of Michael's Gate, which is the only city gate that has been preserved from the medieval fortifications. It was built around 1300.<br />
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On to the food...Well the national dish is dumplings, cheese and bacon. What's not to like with that except 10,000 calories?<br />
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I must say it was very delicious, but one was enough for a day's meal.<br />
We had lunch in a gastropub that reminded me of a place I ate in Oakland, Ca.<br />
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We stayed at a very nice hotel in the Old part of town.<br />
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The airconditioning worked great, and the service, once again, was outstanding.</div>
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Conclusions on Bratislava. I was glad we visited, but the old part of town lacked the charm of Ljubljana. Probably would not return unless there was a special reason to go.<br />
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Next stop....Poland.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-89021733081232455362016-07-25T01:37:00.000-07:002016-07-25T01:37:46.067-07:00Ljubljana, SloveniaLjubljana was an unexpected delight. I fell in love with this young and vibrant city. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, and the home of the University of Ljubljana. The university has a population of about 54,000 undergraduate students in a city population of only about 270,000 people. Considering the fact that Slovenia itself has only about 2 million people, young people play a large part in Slovenian society. The population is composed of 58% Catholic, 2.5% Muslim, and about 2.2% Orthodox Christian. Interestingly to me, 38% do not identify with any religion. The country is bordered by Austria, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and the Adriatic. The north western part of the country is quite mountainous.<br />
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According to Slovenian Facts, there is also one winery or brewery for every 70 people! It became an independent country in 1991 and became part of the EU in 2004.<br />
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Hugging the sides of the Ljubljanica river, Ljubljana boasts a cafe society where most people are not only young but also speak English. People were friendly, professional, and seemed genuinely happy to have visitors.<br />
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I love this photo with the "Petit Bateau" on the sign.<br />
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The population seemed so young to us that we were making jokes about what they did with all of the old people. At home working? In the fields? Died off? I don't know, but compared to Italy, Slovenia seemed very young.<br />
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Tivoli park provides a large green space in the heart of the city. Ljubljana is serious about their "green" reputation of sustainability.<br />
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Okay. You may think this photo is weird, but I thought it was so cool that they give away trash bags in their park! Not just dog poop bags, but actual trash bags. I might add that there is no trash on the streets or in the park. It is a remarkably clean city for its size.<br />
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The hotel we stayed at, <a href="http://www.union-hotels.eu/" target="_blank">http://www.union-hotels.eu</a> was quite lovely, although an odd combination of Victorian and Communism. You'd have to see it to get it. The service was excellent. Many other famous people had stayed there, including the Dali Lama and Bill and Hillary.<br />
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The city is known for its 3 bridges, and indeed Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, supposedly hung out at one of the cafes near here, just to give everyone equal time.<br />
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This is a photo of the dragon from the Dragon Bridge. He is made of copper. I love this photo by the Stoic One. The tail of the creature is great.<br />
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Now, a minor lesson in theology. Many of the churches we saw on this trip were Eastern Orthodox. The Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches split in 1054...a bit of a time ago. The Eastern church has been centered on the Greek language while the Western church on Latin. The differences get more arcane, and if interested you can research it, but one of the noted differences, at least to a protestant, are the use of icons in the Orthodox church. These are more than just a painting. True believers posit that it is a window into heaven.<br />
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The rules about sacred icons are strict. The iconographer must fast and pray before beginning the painting. The icon will never be signed. Everything about the icon is predetermined based on history. The colours, facial expressions, poses are all predetermined. The purpose of the icon is to convey a divine reality.<br />
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Here are some photos from the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Cyril and Methodius in Ljubljana .<br />
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As ornate as the church is inside, the outside is very plain. When you walk in and see the colours and the intricacy, it literally takes your breath away.</div>
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A few more facts about Slovenia. The prime minister is Miro Cerar. He has been in office since 2014. It was the the first new EU member to adopt the euro as currency in 2007. It has a highly educated work force and has minimum foreign investment. Those of you who might be looking for a place outside of the US should look at Slovenia. The prices are good, the people are friendly and it has great beer and good wine. What more could you ask for?<br />
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<a href="http://www.sloveniaestates.com/" target="_blank">http://www.sloveniaestates.com</a><br />
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Next up....Bratislava in Slovakia.<br />
<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-6783401585356475652016-07-25T01:36:00.000-07:002016-07-25T01:36:55.220-07:00A trip to Poland <br />
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Below is a map that you can use to orient yourself through the upcoming blog posts. Knowing world geography is not most Americans' strong points, so I thought it would be helpful to start with a map that shows you the location of Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, and Austria. I presume you know how to find Italy! </div>
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We will start this trip in the charming town of Ljubljana, Slovenia. You will find it very close to the Italian border.</div>
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The next town that we will visit is Bratislava, Slovakia. Look for Vienna and you will find Bratislava. Slovakia borders Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. Can you imagine building a wall around that country??? </div>
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After Bratislava, we will travel to Krakow, Poland. Krakow is in the southern part of the country and holds the purpose of this trip, which is to visit Auschwitz, which is about an hour south west of Krakow.</div>
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We then leave Poland and travel to to the small town of Durnstein, Austria, which is not on the map. The town is on the Danube, which is green not blue. </div>
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Anyway, the trip ends in Bassano del Grappa back in Italy and then we headed home. We spent two days in each town, except for Krakow where we stayed 3 nights.</div>
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Lots of time in the car, but the scenery and conversation were always interesting. We took our car but the Stoic One happily shared the driving with Luther, who is also conveniently fluent in German. Nancy, who planned the trip, and Chole, our GPS kept us on track. I tried not to ask "Are we there yet?" too many times.<br />
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-60646362564859447112016-07-09T03:39:00.002-07:002016-07-09T07:18:01.473-07:00Seventy in SenigalliaAnother reason I haven't posted recently is I have been having a birthday celebration that has lasted a month, and I'm not even kidding. I was one of the Baby Boomers born in 1946. That means this year, I turned 70. Holy Cow! Most unexpected. Turning 70 has been a very sobering event, in spite of the celebrations.. A friend of mine said, "Well, we're now playing on the back 9 of life." It you're a golfer you know what that means. I said, "No, we're teeing off on the 17th hole and it's a long one."<br />
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At 70 it's no longer possible to deny that you're a senior. Well, I suppose some people could, but really what's the point? No matter how much exercise, surgery, good lighting, you have, you will NEVER be 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 ever again. Being 70 means you don't have to pretend to be the "new" 50 or 60. It means you have a lot less time in front of you than what you've lived. When I think back on 60 it seems like this decade has gone by in an instant. If the 70's go that fast, my next post will be celebrating my 80th birthday. Good grief. Let's not rush that!<br />
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In some ways, it's easier to face aging in Italy. It is certainly easier than being in southern California where there is tremendous pressure to look and act young. Really the Italians don't care. Their first sort is not your age but your nationality. Can they talk to you? Oh you speak Italian? Good. They don't expect their 70 year old grandmothers to compete with the 30 year old mamma's and if fact they think women who try are slightly off. On the other hand, the "Bella Figura" - looking good- is always important in Italy. So at 70 you are expected to put yourself together in the the best way you can. Not a bad way to approach life.<br />
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So, for my birthday, I went to the US to see friends, flew down to Miami to visit with my sister and then came back to Italy and went to Senigallia, my new best friend. I love this town!!! <a href="http://www.comune.senigallia.an.it/site/senigallia/live/taxonomy/" target="_blank">http://www.comune.senigallia.an.it/site/senigallia/live/taxonomy/</a><br />
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Senigallia is the Marche district, which is the province to the east of Umbria. I have previously written about Ascoli Piceno, also one of my favorite cities, which is also in the Marche. Not many Americans visit here, and that really should be remedied. They appreciate visitors, have lots to see and have some of the best food in Italy!<br />
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But we are now talking about Senigallia. It is not an African country, that would be Senegal. Anyway, Senigallia is located on the Adriatic coast between Ancona and Fano.<br />
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It has wide, sandy beaches and two 2-Star Michelin restaurants. There are NO 2 stars in all of the Perugian part of Umbria, and this little city, (45,000) has two! We had to find out about that. So the Stoic One, my friend Christy and I went off to Senigallia to discover if the food could really be that good, or was this just some "French" thing.<br />
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Restaurant Number One<br />
Madoninna del Pescatore<br />
<a href="http://www.morenocedroni.it/la-madonnina-del-pescatore/il-locale/" target="_blank">http://www.morenocedroni.it/la-madonnina-del-pescatore/il-locale/</a><br />
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This restaurant has a famous chef, Moreno Cedroni, who has also been a TV star. The restaurant opened in 1984.<br />
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We had been here twice before, and loved it. What's not to love? Inventive food, relaxed atmosphere, impeccable service.<br />
We invited our friends Joseph and Paul to join us and we had a marvelous time. Some of the food we sampled.<br />
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This one one of our favorite dishes from both restaurants. It was anchovies fixed 3 ways. The one in the middle is ice cream. Don't make that face. It was so delicious, we asked for seconds and they brought us 6 more spoons for the table. This was the amuse-bouche so you know we were in trouble!<br />
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A very interesting dish was seafood lasagne with a sauce made of coconut milk and parsley. Incredible.<br />
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What a fun birthday dessert. Cotton candy.<br />
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And a perfectly wrapped present and card.<br />
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We gave this restaurant a 5 star review.<br />
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We didn't eat any dinner that night, really. Had a VERY light lunch the next day and then on to our second 2 star, Uliassi.<br />
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It is way north in Senigallia and on the beach.<br />
<a href="http://www.uliassi.it/" target="_blank">http://www.uliassi.it</a><br />
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It is beautiful inside<br />
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and has the beach right off the porch.<br />
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About the food...indescribable. It stopped conversation. We would take a bite and then just stare at one another it was sooooo good.<br />
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Cuttlefish was the astonishing dish here. This photo is of roasted cuttle fish.<br />
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The cuttlefish was tender with the taste of the sea. Even the salad in the middle was so spectacular that I ate each green leaf one at a time!<br />
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More cuttlefish. This time fixed as paparadelle...don't ask...with toasted quinoa...more delicious than you can imagine.<br />
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The Stoic One had fish soup as his main dish. He deemed it spectacular.<br />
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We had a light, refreshing fruit dish for our dessert.<br />
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It was one of the best birthdays I've ever had.<br />
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May all of you have the best birthday celebration that you can imagine.<br />
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PS. The food in both restaurants is that good. It is not just a "French" thing. Expensive, but for a special memorable celebration, they are 2 of the top places in Italy that I have eaten. And no, I can't choose between them. But if I had to choose....I guess I'll have to go back and try each one again.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-86259319722703600072016-07-09T03:39:00.000-07:002016-07-09T03:39:23.320-07:00Venice from the other side<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I thought it might be helpful to have a map in front of you as I show the next batch of photos from the Stoic One. As you look at the worm shaped island at the bottom of the map, that's where we stayed.<br />
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The next few pictures are from that view point and of various spots on the Giudecca Island. Enjoy.</div>
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Where the work gets done....</div>
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Where everyday people can afford to live...</div>
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We did go across the canal and visit the Peggy Guggenheim museum. Our first time there. I know, I know. We loved it. There was a tour of Italian first graders going through the museum. They were so adorable.<br />
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The teacher is teaching them how to look at art. She is asking them to find the fish, the spiral, the flower contained in the wall hanging. They were fun to watch.<br />
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Hard to take a bad shot in Venice, especiall if you are the Stoic One.<br />
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I'm presuming if you are still looking at this you love photographs. There was a Helmut Newton photography exhibit in the museum next to our hotel. The 70's were a pretty wild place.<br />
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The sign tells you it's going to be White Women, Sleepless nights and Big Nudes. They weren't kidding.<br />
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Here are the only 2 photographs that were "G" rated.<br />
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He was such a fantastic photographer. This is niece Nancy's favourite photo. Very Marlene Dietrich kind of thing.<br />
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This is my favorite. I love everything about it, the lights, the waves in the material and water, the atheleticism and the sensuality. Clearly he loved women.<br />
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Venice is a city that always surprises if you give it half a chance. Get away from the touristy areas. Get lost. Wander the streets. Fall in love again.<br />
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And then there is always a piece of whimsy..<br />
<a href="http://venicexplorer.com/explore-venice/top-10-venice-museums/punta-della-dogana-museum.html" target="_blank">http://venicexplorer.com/explore-venice/top-10-venice-museums/punta-della-dogana-museum.html</a><br />
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to take your mind off of other things...Buone vacanze.<br />
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-75756528053612176882016-07-08T01:26:00.000-07:002016-07-08T01:26:43.164-07:00Anniversary in Venice<br />
It has been a whirlwind since I last posted. We were in Venice for our anniversary on the 24th of May.<br />
Twenty-nine years ago at this time we were on a boat together looking forward to our future. Little did we know what was in store for us.<br />
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Hard to believe so much time has passed.<br />
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I have always loved Venice, and I think the Stoic One has been won over. We stayed at a new place on the other side of the Giudecca Canal. It was elegant, peaceful, and far from the maddening crowds. It is the Bauer Palladio. <a href="http://www.palladiohotelspa.com/" target="_blank">http://www.palladiohotelspa.com</a><br />
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Not for everyone, but if you want to see a different side of Venice where working people live, and escape the cruise hoards, this is a good spot to check out.<br />
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It even has a garden in the back which is very unusual for Venice.<br />
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Getting across to St. Mark's Square is very simple with the hotel boat.<br />
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The view of Venice is also from a unique angle. Beautiful at night.<br />
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The Stoic One and I had a wonderful time in this most romantic of Italian cities.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2530538846901775408.post-87983569395559696542016-05-31T09:18:00.001-07:002016-05-31T09:58:13.311-07:00Lucca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Stoic One and I have been travelling around a bit. We have wanted to go to Lucca to visit our friends, Anna and John, who also made the transfer from Oakland, California to Italy. (Luca with one "c" is an Italian male name, also the name of our dog. With 2 "c"s it is the name of the city.)<br />
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Anyway, truth be told I have been hesitant about going. Our friends left California the same time we did and they have been so happy in their choice of Lucca. I worried, what if we liked Lucca better? Would we have regrets about coming to our little place here in Umbria? And so I procrastinated going. Finally, it was past time to visit. So I took a deep breath, got on the train and went. And the truth is we loved Lucca. It is a fantastic city. Modern, ancient, artistic, commericial, cosmopolitan. It has easy train and bus access in and out of the city. We give it an A+ of Italian cities we have visited.<br />
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One of the joys that Lucca offers is the renaissance wall that encompasses it. The surface of the walls are flat and are major walk ways for the towns people and visitors. It is an absolutely spectacular place to stroll regardless of the season. Beautiful trees, flowers, as well as interesting things to see as you walk along. The circumference of the walls is about 4 kilometers or 2.5 miles. Visitors can rent bikes, and bike along as well. The walkers, joggers and bikers all seem to share the wall with ease.<br />
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Lucca also has a canal, or a walled river that flows by outside of the wall. The water and the greenery are soothing and lush.If Florence is a city of hustle and bustle, Lucca is her serene sister.<br />
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One of the things that we noticed was how prosperous a city Lucca is. There are city workers out in force, picking up trash, cleaning the city, restoring the buildings. It is pristine. </div>
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I kept wondering where Lucca got its money. One of the ways that Lucca generates revenue is by hosting a yearly Lucca Comics and Games convention. This draws tons of people into the city and with them tons of money. The exhibition is held in this field which is just on the other side of the wall.</div>
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<a href="http://www.luccacomicsandgames.com/it/2015/comics/news/" target="_blank">http://www.luccacomicsandgames.com/it/2015/comics/news/</a><br />
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Here are a few basic facts about Lucca.<br />
• It is about an hour and a half train ride from Florence or about 20 min. by train from Pisa. <br />
• There are 99 churches in the town.<br />
• The city is Etruscan in origins.<br />
• The city walls date from the early 1500's. They have survived intact since then.<br />
• Lucca was the first Tuscan town to accept Christianity.<br />
• Henry James described it as "a city overflowing with everything that makes for ease, for plenty, for beauty, for interest and good example."<br />
• Driving is banned within the walls, and most residents use bikes to get around.<br />
• It has a population of about 90,000.<br />
• The composer Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924) was born in Lucca. Here he is sitting watching us with amusement as we stroll by.<br />
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Lucca is known for its music school and there are nightly concerts in one of the major churches.<br />
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The Duomo is beautiful. It is dedicated to St. Martin.The tower, unfortunately, was under restoration.<br />
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Besides visiting the other 98 churches, Lucca has exceptional shopping. I bought a beautiful hand woven scarf in this lovely store.Of course we loved the dog as well.<br />
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Lucca is filled with little nooks and crannies to wander through.<br />
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Yes. We loved Luca and we love our friends, but at the end of the day, there's no place like home.<br />
Ciao a tutti.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05606522200627573868noreply@blogger.com1