Italy Trip 2004 (Update #3 - last one)
It's well into the evening here in Venice, a bit after 9pm, and 32°F/0°C. Fortunately, I'm wearing a nice down coat, but I can't say that it's all toasty-ness for everyone here. I did get a little wet, but after sitting hear the radiator, I'm cozy and dry once more. Earlier today, I went to St. Mark's Square... and it was snowing. According to Debra (you'll remember she's the tour director), this is a very unusual thing for Venice. My travel buddy is celebrating (lamenting) the passage of another year of life today, and is coming to the realization that she's not getting any younger. (I think she's secretly hoping that some of her tour companions will buy her yummy alcoholic beverage -- a Blù di Blù -- which she described as a "liquid lollipop" that is quite "de-lish." A downy wave from Venezia (Italian for Venice)!
    :::   01.23.04 @ 12:20 PM Pacific Time [link]   :::

Italy Trip 2004 (Update #2)
I arrived in Florence last night. Yesterday, I spent the day walking about the Duomo, the biggest church in Florence, in all of Italy I think. I also mailed postcards, bought cheap shirts, and chatted with the local bird-folk (mostly pigeons). I saw a leather demonstration, where a girl was selling a leather jacket made of antelope hide. The cost stymied that purchase though -- €720 (that cute euro symbol again!) can buy a lot of Diet Pepsi, after all. My roommate was less than friendly this morning, but I'm okay with that; I hardly talk anyway (her English could be better, as could my Spanish). I have to push off now to see the powdery remains of Michelangelo and Galileo at Complesso Monumentale di Santa Croce -- Firenze. Then I'll get coached over to Piza for the Leaning Tower. Ciao!
    :::   01.21.04 @ 06:45 AM Pacific Time [link]   :::

Italy Trip Update...
It’s almost 5pm here (8am Pacific / 11am Eastern). I'm here in Orvieto, a small town between Rome and Florence. Just an observation -- damn, Italy's expensive. One scoop of gelato (ice cream) is 4 euros, which is something like 6 U.S. dollars. And the symbol for the euro -- € -- is sort of nifty, I think. Despite my financial leanings toward cheap-ness, I'm having a good time. I have a geriatric roommate named Lydia, 76, from Mexico City and grumpy most of the time. (I wonder if she has siblings who are sleepy, dopey, and bashful). I just politely nod, mumble to her in made-up Latin words, and try to ignore her. Our tour director, Debra, is just a peach, and the bus driver is cute (and that's always nice). Later this evening, I’m heading out with others from the travel party to have this huge Tuscan dinner thing -- for 54 euros. They better feed me well. There's no Pepsi in this country -- just Coke and Coke light. That makes me sad, but it’s a small price to pay for globetrotting, I suppose.
    :::   01.20.04 @ 07:52 AM Pacific Time [link]   :::