Desperately Seeking Gina

July 23, 2006

…2nd Annual Bois Blanc Vacation with “Boyfriend” and his parents

“Boyfriend’s” Piggies at Snow Beach

Hi, friends…I’m back from my vacation to Bois Blanc Island where I spent seven fun-filled days with Melanie, Greg, Matthew, and Jennie. Two year old Matthew is now affectionately known as my “boyfriend” and…his daddy, Greg, prefers to be called Marcello. I think he’s the only one that enjoys the fact that I can speak Italian now…I answer first in Italian and then explain in English.

I’ll be back home on Monday, the 24th to finish the Europe adventure. Thanks for emailing me while I was away 🙂 I’m visiting the parental units for a couple of days and heading back to work on Monday morning.

Ciao, Amici!

A new flag welcomes BBI visitors.

A dock along the bluff…my favorite part of the island

July 14, 2006

…Firenze, Pt. Due

We returned to the Mediterraneo around 7pm with just enough time to get ready for our special candlelight dinner at Paola’s favorite restaurant. As soon as I stepped out of the hotel to join our group, I knew the evening was going to be special. It was just a short trek back to one of the Florence piazzas we had visited earlier in the day. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant (why oh why didn’t I keep better track???)

There was excited chatter among the group as we reminisced about our day’s adventure.

The restaurant was magnificent. Each room was decorated in a different style and was furnished with homey furniture, candle light, and great music. We were in a Spanish style room and the music was pretty lively…maybe salsa-like?

We sat at three different tables…my table included Shelly, Amber, Linda, Sylvia, Bob, Heather, Tom, Phillip and Victor. Conversation was spirited and lively and we had a great time. Again, we ordered a couple of bottles of wine and toasts were made. The wine was fantastic…and I had a lot of it 🙂

Our waiter…and maybe the owner of the restaurant (??) was a friend of Paola’s. His name is Lorenzo. I can’t remember what we were laughing about…but we sure did have a great time! The food wasn’t spectacular..but it was good. I had curried chicken. And a few more glasses of wine.

Heather and I visited the ladies room…which was just as gorgeously decorated and candle lit as the rest of the restaurant. When we came out of the stalls, Lorenzo was standing at the mirror fixing his hair. We weren’t that surprised since we had been told that a lot of places in Europe had unisex bathrooms…so we proceeded to have a conversation about needing roasted potatoes (this included Lorenzo holding my hands and insisting he bring us more food).

When we got back to the table Paul and Christie wanted me to show them where the bathroom was ….so I said “No Problem…it’s unisex..you can go together” So we headed to the bathroom door and a different waiter came over and said “no, no…this is women only, please.” What?? wasn’t Lorenzo just in there with us? lol…I have no idea what that was about.

A little more wine later, we settled the tips and headed out. I had a fantastic time at dinner…the conversations and laughter and picture taking made it wonderful.

Heather and I walked back to the hotel with Tom, Phillip, and Victor. I really wanted to go dancing (that should tell you exactly how much I had to drink). Instead, we walked through a flea market..and I entertained the group by walking backwards and NOT starting a domino effect run down of luggage that was set up throughout the market. I kept telling them that I knew exactly what I was doing.

So…that’s it. A totally great night of talking and drinks, of good, new friends and an old beautiful city, Florence…my new favorite place on earth.

July 14, 2006

…Firenze and Friends

We arrived at the Mediterraneo Hotel in Florence at 8pm…late as usual.

Dinner was extremely enjoyable. Heather and I sat with Tom, Philip, and newlyweds Trevor and XXXX….I can’t remember her name!! auugh. They were absolutely adorable. We shared a couple of bottles of wine-one red and one white. The food was fabulous-penne with bolognese sauce, potatoes, and beef..and I think green beans?? The wine flowed and toasts were made, conversation was constant and pleasant, and new friends were made.

Apparently, in Europe it isn’t customary to use credit cards for small purchases. We used one to pay for one bottle of wine..and the head waiter looked as if we’d asked him to serve another full meal after midnight. It took 25 minutes to get the bill resolved. Heather and I were just about the last people to leave the restaurant and the waiters were clearing the tables around us. I can understand just enough Italian at this point to hear them saying they want us to leave so they can get our table cleared…but they wouldn’t bring us a bill. Anyway…after a while we head up to the rooms exhausted, but happy and full of wine 🙂

Day two in Florence is jam packed and SO SO SO wonderful. I think it was the best time of the entire trip.

The morning began with a walk to the Galleria dell’ Accedemia to see Michelangelo’s David. I wasn’t expecting to be so amazed at this statue, but I was absolutely mesmerized by it. It was BEAUTIFUL. The detail of the statue, done without a model is just awesome. The musculature, the expression on his face, and the size is really something to behold. I could have sat all day just looking at him.

A walking tour of Florence followed which included stops at the Duomo and the Santa Croce. It is in S. Croce that Galileo, Michelangelo, and Dante, among other historical notables are buried. Also here, is the statue that was used as a model for the Statue of Liberty (there are 3 small versions of the SofL in Europe, one being in S. Croce and one in Paris in the middle of the Seine River).

Our Florence guide, whose name I just cannot remember, was an absolute adorable, quirky gentleman. He had a fantastic, dry sense of humor and was so knowledgeable about Firenze history.

We ended our walking tour with a tour of a Florence leather factory called Misuri. The person who gave us the tour was American and very nice. Some people in our group were used as models in a mini fashion show, including my good friend Michelle. I bought a little leather, heart-shaped coin purse.

Florence Fruit and Flower Market

Late in the afternoon we took an excursion to Siena. As we were getting off the bus, a pigeon pooped all over an older woman in our group. I feel awful at how hilarious I found it at the time but it was pretty funny. I later heard that this is considered good luck in Italy (the pooping-on-someone, not the finding-it-funny part). We toured another cathedral and made our way to the center of Sienna- the beautiful Piazza del Campo. Here I had my first taste of gelato: chocolate and rum in a sugar cone. I could have died and been the happiest girl ever….until I spilled half the cone down the front of me. I looked like the pigeon-poop woman…and I didn’t find it hilarious anymore.

Running late as usual we had to make our way back to the bus and I didn’t even get a chance to take a picture of the stunning view of the countryside…hopefully Heather got a good pic. In any case, we were on our way back to Florence, and what was about to be the second best night of the European Vacation.

July 13, 2006

…Benvenuto a Italia

That’s marble in the mountains…not snow

In my own little dream world I had imagined that the journey from France, land of the unsmiling, to Italy where everyone was family (and where I’d get offended if my ass wasn’t pinched) to be a stunningly spectacular moment in my life. I pictured the tall, dark, handsome descendants of Roman Gods fawning over me…strolling down the streets of Florence eating gelato, and never, ever wanting to leave.

In reality, I spent the first half hour in Italy crying and digging for Euro to pay for the bathrooms.

We stopped at a stazione de servizio (that’s Italian for gas station…see how the Italian language turns every word into a beautiful thing?). I decided to call home for the first time, since it was day six of my trip and I hadn’t even called to let mi familia know that I made it to Europe okay.

It was 4 am in the States but I knew my mom wouldn’t care. I got the answering machine…and as soon as I started leaving a message I started crying. At that moment I felt homesick. And then my mom picked up and I could barely speak. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed my mom.

And then….I had to pee.

In Europe you have to pay to use the restrooms. There’s always a little old lady sitting outside with a little basket to collect Euro as tourists enter. This was the first opportunity I had to speak Italian. Romantic, eh? Quanto costa? (how much does it cost?)

We stopped in Pisa and gazed at the Leaning Tower…I refused to do the cheesy Tourist-holding-the-tower-up picture. I mean…I was in Italy, I was supposed to be cool…Sophisticated…cultured….

We lunched at an outdoor cafe and watched part of the World Cup semi-finals (I can’t remember who was playing). I had Gnocchi with Four Cheeses…

D E L I C I O U S ! !

Probably the best meal I had in all of Europe. I’m still dreaming out this stuff…it’s that good.

July 11, 2006

…Yes, Gina, they really do go topless.

The train to Nice was quite an experience. I felt as if I were 15 years old again and at a really, really big slumber party. Our entire group (all 57 of us) had one whole car to ourselves ~~ which means we also shared one bathroom.

Each sleeping compartment held six people. I shared with Michelle, Heather, Rosemary, Nate, and Amber. The beds were tiny and we weren’t able to sit up in them. Luckily, we were traveling at night so sleeping wasn’t a problem. We were told that the train would have air conditioning…what they didn’t tell us is that by “air conditioning” they meant: open the window and stick your head out. It turned out not to be so bad.

We unboarded in Nice (this was more difficult for some of the group…they were almost on their way back to Paris). We had breakfast at a little restaurant that opened especially for us. Paoula’s (our tour guide) bag was stolen. We didn’t see much of Nice, mostly just drove down the main drag, so to speak, which ran along the coast of the Mediterranean. The sea was the most brilliant shade of blue.

We were on a tight schedule, so we headed on to Eze next, stopping at this fabulous, old bridge and bus park. 10 minutes later we pulled into Fragonard, a perfume factory. We took a tour…learned how the scents were produced, packaged, and we did some shopping. I bought the Miranda and the Buon Nuit.

From Nice we traveled to the Principality of Monaco. It was gorgeous and my favorite part of the trip thus far. We toured the Cathedral del Monaco where Grace Kelly’s tomb is and saw the Palace. We lunched at an outdoor cafe. I had the Chicken Paysanne (pizza with chicken, peppers, onions). The company was fantastic: Linda, Victor, Paul, Christy, Lynn, and Heather. It was a fabulous afternoon.

We returned to Nice around 5:30 pm…and Paoula led us to the city center for a few minutes of shopping and sight seeing. Heather and I headed to the beach to take another look at the Mediterranean Sea. Tom and Phillip followed us and Christy (my see-ster) and her husband Paul joined us.

The beach was really rocky…I wanted to take pictures of the beach but when I noticed that the women really do go topless….I didn’t want anyone to think I was taking pics of the naked women…so I refrained.

It was on to Cannes from there…and by the time we arrived at Hotel Rachel, we were pretty tired and running late for dinner. No time for the pool 🙁 I did laundry after dinner and Tom and Philip came to the room and hung out for awhile. The view from our room was pretty cool and the moon was rising over a hill as I fell asleep.

Sadly, that’s all we saw of Nice and Cannes. No famous faces or flashy cars. No films to see and no clubs to dance the night away in… but it was beautiful to see.

In the morning we boarded the bus for a five-hour ride to Italy. (minus 1 universal adapter/converter as I left Michelle’s set plugged into the wall…oops.) I still owe her one 🙁