Random Thoughts

We have each approached the trip from a different viewpoint. Kelly loves to find the animals in each place. There was the myna bird in the store in Cortona, the cat that could jump up on shelves and not knock anything over in the ceramics shop in Orvieto. Also in Orvieto was the cage with the blue and yellow parakeets - we would look out of our hotel window and it would just appear in the second story window across from the courtyard garden. After a few hours the birds were taken back inside. Since she loves cats, Kelly has notcied cats wherever we go. She has seen black kittens in yards, the big black and white cats just lazing behind the counter with the old lady clerk at the book store at the Accademia in Florence or the cat noisily meowing behind the posters. At Bar Duomo in Orvieto we sat outside and the cafe cat wandered among tables just waiting for food to drop on the ground. Of course, in Venice there were those pesky pigeons that she and Bob insisted on feeding. The pigeons landed on B &K anyplace they could alight ...their shoulders, their backs, their arms, their heads. The pigeons divebombed me while I took pictures. They left little scratch marks on Kelly's arm and on Bob's head. (Of course, I immediately took the sanitizing wipes and gave them both a good going over!). In France it was dogs that we saw everywhere. In Paris cafes the dogs were curled up beside their owners and walking everywhere with their owners. Some dogs were leashed, others would walk slightly in front of their person and constantly check back to make sure their person was still there. In Ribeauville , the storks in giant nests on the buildings in town and then at the animal rehab park kept K's interest. They were joined by peguins, otters, and little birds that we saw at the amphitheater just before we left the park.
I, on the other hand, love to sit and people-watch. Nothing makes me more content that finding a table in an outdoor cafe, getting a latte, and watching the people go by. I enjoy going into the weekly town markets and seeing the different sections where there are the fresh flowers and colorful vegies, the golden honey from local hives, the cheeses. The fresh meat booths are pretty gross, but interesting. Then there are the sections of the town market that are like a dollar store that has been brought outside. So much effort for such a short selling day for the vendors. Women are going through stalls filled with underwear or kids cloths, people try on clothes, there are rows and rows of purses. it is fascinating. I also like to see the local flora and have stopped many times to get photos of flowers. And my other weakness is the local crafts.
Bob is our most purpose driven and energetic tourist. He has come to see all the major sites. K and I have learned that we just must let him go ahead because he has walked miles in preparation for this trip and he is not to be stopped. He will climb any tower, ride any funicular,
go over any hill, down any narrow street to experience the town. And of course, sampling the local wines and talking to the people who grow the grapes and make the wine is a real highlight for him.
Food has been the unifying element for the three of us. We have had 'melt in your mouth' bufalo mozzarella with homegrown tomatoes and basil for unparalleled caprese salad. I make gnocchi but they never melted in your mouth or were as tiny as baroque pearls. But here in Italy, we've had them with spinach, a little truffle, and cubes of pancetta just cooked in butter and olive oil and they were incredible. We eat a lot of lamb cooked various ways and Kelly always gets a pasta (taglione, stringola, or any other form unknown to us) with duck or beef and it is delicious. The coca cola's are outrageously expensive in restaurants (sometimes 5 euros for a can - that is about 7 dollars). Conversely, the wine is outrageously cheap (sometimes 5 euros for a whole bottle) and so far everything we have tasted has been delicious. Here in Orvieto we have enjoyed the local wines of Vin Santo - a sweet, amber colored dessert wine, the Ovieto whites has been great and cheap, and we keep buying Sangiovese grape local wines and they have been wonderful. Everyday is gelati day whether we are in Venice, Florence, Riquewhir, or Paris. Today we are off to Banfi to a castle / winery where we have reservations for lunch. No wonder our clothese are shrinking!