Canadian Buffoon European Vacation - 30/03 - Endings and Silver Linings

Hey...I bought my mask at that shop! I ended up shipping mine home along with a bunch of stuff I bought in florence...it was expensive but everything got home safely and more room in the luggage for wine!

I fended off the ring and the rose scam in Paris...so annoying!

Jill in CO
 
Ponzi, what amazing pictures again! I bet Kay will hate herself when she gets older and realizes what she missed by staying in a hotel for Wi-Fi or sleep she can have any time at home.

I looked at the video and thought, wow, all those buildings look like the are flooded! Somehow I never got that feeling with the pictures. Good to know that that is really not the case, whew!

And will we get to see your T-Shirts? Inquiring minds want to know...

Thanks for the update, great as always! :thumbsup2
 
I will admit we got taken by the bracelet guys at Sacre Coeur. They were good, totally caught us off guard. Of course it was our first city trip so we were newbies to the scams. They took our fingers and immediately tied the string on, gotcha! They wanted A LOT of euros for each. It was at least 20€ for each. I gave them 10€ for all. I still have them as a reminder. The rose guy at the Trevi Fountain got us on our first visit to Rome. Live and learn! And never give them the price they ask for. I carry US $ just for those occasions, since they aren't worth as much compared to the euro. I find Italian cities worse than others for pushy street sellers. Rome being the worst.

Sorry to hear you got taken.
We found the scam artists to be more "in your face" in Venice than in Paris.




Wow again! :thumbsup2 Venice is so incredibly beautiful! I was wondering how it got flooded, so I googled it. I guess they built it in the water on stilts on purpose. Maybe you posted that and I missed it :confused3

I don't think I posted that it's on stilts.
It never occurred to me that I should've explained Venice a little more.
But maybe I should have. It certainly is an odd city in that way.


How cool that you found a gondola that you could take just as a family and have such a great tour!

It was awesome.
Probably in any famous city, but definitely in Venice, it really pays to get away from the packed tourist areas.
The best masks, the best glass, the best food... all not easily found.
And worth the search! :)


Your pictures are amazing - I just feel like you brought us along in your suitcase - That's it! That's why it was so heavy - :lmao:

I KNEW IT!
I thought I saw you crawling out of there when I wasn't looking!
I saw motion out of the corner of my eye, and I was like, "Tammie??? Nah."


Thank you for sharing the night canal video - and the night shot of the Piaza - OMG! I feel like I have to put this place on my bucket list!:thumbsup2

You're welcome... And you should!
Venice is a lot of peoples' favourite city.


Your descriptions are so poetic, also. You are a great writer, Ponzi - thanks for the chapter.

I wax poetic, but I do the dishes prosaically.
Thanks for all the nice comments, Tammie!


I'm sure I would fall for all of it. I had a guy come up to me in St. Thomas with a donkey and hand her rope to me - then ask if I wanted to take a picture with Marilyn Monroe. We took the picture and paid him, then thought, "Hey! what just happened?" :rotfl2:

:lmao:



Oh yeah, in Rome a guy walked up to my dd and put a small bird, canary I think, on her arm. He wanted me to pay him to take a picture of her with his little bird. The things they will do!

I would have been so tempted to say, "Look! This man put dinner on DDs arm!"

:rolleyes1:

I don't recall what we did. We tend to be suckers for beggars.

Beggars have a hard time with me. Thieves too.
A thief learned I was not an easy target the first time I visited Munich.


I actually tried to give a piece of my breakfast croissant to one of the dogs, it turned its nose up at it!

:rotfl: So much for the phrase, "Beggars can't be choosers".

:lmao: and :thumbsup2 on the bold.

Man, I have to catch up. I'm still not finished the last one but am very excited to come on here and see another update! :thumbsup2

Well, get reading girl!
I'm trying to post at about ten day intervals (as requested), so no excuses!


Hey...I bought my mask at that shop! I ended up shipping mine home along with a bunch of stuff I bought in florence...it was expensive but everything got home safely and more room in the luggage for wine!

I fended off the ring and the rose scam in Paris...so annoying!

Wasn't that shop amazing?!?
I still sort of regret not getting a mask there. But I still don't know where we'd put it!

So you actually got approached by the ring scam?
How did it go? As I described it? Or different?




Ponzi, what amazing pictures again! I bet Kay will hate herself when she gets older and realizes what she missed by staying in a hotel for Wi-Fi or sleep she can have any time at home.

Not now... but maybe later.
I was showing some pictures of our trip to my parents.
Kay saw the Paris Opera pictures and piped up, "I don't remember that."
I replied that she had not wanted to come and stayed at the hotel.
"Well." She said. "I didn't know it was going to be like that."

:sad2:

Unfortunately, I know my daughter well enough to know that trying to get her to see something that she doesn't want to see...

I console myself with the thought that she might wish to see it some day and strike out on her own.

It's kinda why we took this trip.
Give 'em a taste of travel and see if they catch the travel bug.


I looked at the video and thought, wow, all those buildings look like the are flooded! Somehow I never got that feeling with the pictures. Good to know that that is really not the case, whew!

Actually... it is the case!
While the buildings were built on water with the express purpose of being able to boat up to them...
They are sinking (plus water levels are rising).
So most buildings are now uninhabitable on the first floor.


And will we get to see your T-Shirts? Inquiring minds want to know...

Gee. I never thought anybody would care about T-shirts.
I guess I could post pics of them if you want.


Thanks for the update, great as always! :thumbsup2

Thanks Marita! :goodvibes
 
Sorry to hear you got taken.
We found the scam artists to be more "in your face" in Venice than in Paris.


We got stuck by the guys at Montemarte with the bracelet thing. I had ahold of DS's hand and thought that DH had DD's hand, nope, she stopped, so we all stopped. Of course DH is also pretty savvy, so only offered them 1 euro apiece for the bracelets, and honestly they were nice. But we did cut them off at the hotel that night, because they also totally mark you as a tourist!


I don't think I posted that it's on stilts.
It never occurred to me that I should've explained Venice a little more.
But maybe I should have. It certainly is an odd city in that way.




It was awesome.
Probably in any famous city, but definitely in Venice, it really pays to get away from the packed tourist areas.
The best masks, the best glass, the best food... all not easily found.
And worth the search! :)


We ended up going to Murano for glass, and bought a sailboat (a glass one, not a real one!), way more than we budgeted for a souvenier, but it really spoke to my DH.

Not now... but maybe later.
I was showing some pictures of our trip to my parents.
Kay saw the Paris Opera pictures and piped up, "I don't remember that."
I replied that she had not wanted to come and stayed at the hotel.
"Well." She said. "I didn't know it was going to be like that."

:sad2:

Unfortunately, I know my daughter well enough to know that trying to get her to see something that she doesn't want to see...

I console myself with the thought that she might wish to see it some day and strike out on her own.

It's kinda why we took this trip.
Give 'em a taste of travel and see if they catch the travel bug.


It's not always a bad thing if they don't have a travel bug! My DS has it bad, so he's always asking where we're going next. I'm looking at him going "Dude, you're 10, you've been to Europe twice, spent a birthday in Paris, Shanghi and London on 3 different years, you're seriously feeling deprived of travel?! :lmao:"

Actually... it is the case!
While the buildings were built on water with the express purpose of being able to boat up to them...
They are sinking (plus water levels are rising).
So most buildings are now uninhabitable on the first floor.


We got another interesting tidbit from a walking tour that we did. Apparently, Italy changed the configuration of the bay that Venice is in so that they could put more industry on the mainland. This has caused the tides to have much more impact on Venice that previously, so, the increased water movement is what's contributing to the flooding and erosion of the pillars that the city is built on.
 


We got stuck by the guys at Montemarte with the bracelet thing. I had ahold of DS's hand and thought that DH had DD's hand, nope, she stopped, so we all stopped. Of course DH is also pretty savvy, so only offered them 1 euro apiece for the bracelets, and honestly they were nice. But we did cut them off at the hotel that night, because they also totally mark you as a tourist!

Ah. Stopping. The kiss of death! :laughing:
I'm thinking that even paying one euro a piece was a big score for them.

Wouldn't it be nice to just go and not worry about stuff like that?


We ended up going to Murano for glass, and bought a sailboat (a glass one, not a real one!), way more than we budgeted for a souvenier, but it really spoke to my DH.

No comment. You'll see why in the very next chapter!

It's not always a bad thing if they don't have a travel bug! My DS has it bad, so he's always asking where we're going next. I'm looking at him going "Dude, you're 10, you've been to Europe twice, spent a birthday in Paris, Shanghi and London on 3 different years, you're seriously feeling deprived of travel?! :lmao:"

:lmao:
Now that the DDs are getting older, I'm starting to tell them, "Next trip is just me and your Mom."

Elle pouts.
Kay cheers.

:sad2:


We got another interesting tidbit from a walking tour that we did. Apparently, Italy changed the configuration of the bay that Venice is in so that they could put more industry on the mainland. This has caused the tides to have much more impact on Venice that previously, so, the increased water movement is what's contributing to the flooding and erosion of the pillars that the city is built on.

Hmm. That's interesting. Didn't know that.
Right now, the MOSE project has been running for ten years and is expected to be completed in 2016.
What's the MOSE project?
It's a series of underwater, inflatible gates that are designed to rise and cut off the lagoon from the Adriatic.
They just ran the first test back in October.
 
Hmm. That's interesting. Didn't know that.
Right now, the MOSE project has been running for ten years and is expected to be completed in 2016.
What's the MOSE project?
It's a series of underwater, inflatible gates that are designed to rise and cut off the lagoon from the Adriatic.
They just ran the first test back in October.
[/QUOTE]

And it's intended to mitigate the problems that they created in the first place by dredging the lagoon bottom to enable the bigger industry ships to get in. He mentioned this as well, but I couldn't remember the name of the project. They're hoping that this will help stop the destruction of Venice.
 
And it's intended to mitigate the problems that they created in the first place by dredging the lagoon bottom to enable the bigger industry ships to get in. He mentioned this as well, but I couldn't remember the name of the project. They're hoping that this will help stop the destruction of Venice.

New tourism posters for Venice
"Come see it while it's still there!"
 


:wave2:Loved that video of Venice. I remember bits and pieces of it, but mostly our hotel room which by luck of the draw looked out over the Grand Canal pixiedust: (we were on a military tour of Italy). Huge, old fashioned room, with floor to ceiling windows. St. Mark's blew us away, and the whole city was just amazing. I remember lots of cats as well (all over Italy).

Never ran into scams, but they may be more prevalent now than 30 years ago (!). The biggest danger in St. Mark's then was the pigeons - but I just put some bread in the palm of my hand and one perched on my hand to eat it - cold toes ::yes::!

Wasn't planning to take DS to Venice on our Europe trip...now, rethinking it...he wants Norway and Germany, I was going to fly into Paris for one day there first, and now I am remembering our trip to Italy and how amazing it was! Although he might prefer the top of the Zugspitze - it was clear the day we visited, saw mountain tops stretching out forever :lovestruc!

I'm sure she will visit again - I got the travel bug early, and did some amazing trips before we settled in VA. Now a lot of our vacation time involves trips to our family in the Midwest and a trip with our friends (he and his best friend is an only child, so it gives them someone to hang out with - they are like brother and sister). But we have made a few non-Disney trips, planning a few more before he strikes out on his own :sad:.
 
:wave2:Loved that video of Venice. I remember bits and pieces of it,

Better go back soon, Carol! Or all that'll be left of it is bits and pieces!

but mostly our hotel room which by luck of the draw looked out over the Grand Canal

oooohhhhh.... Nice.

(we were on a military tour of Italy).

I remember that. You're hubby was nervous in East Berlin while in full uniform, right?

Huge, old fashioned room, with floor to ceiling windows. St. Mark's blew us away, and the whole city was just amazing. I remember lots of cats as well (all over Italy).

St. Mark's... no comment. See next chapter. :cool2:
I don't remember seeing any cats in venice.
Catfish maybe... but no cats.


Never ran into scams, but they may be more prevalent now than 30 years ago (!).

::yes::

The biggest danger in St. Mark's then was the pigeons - but I just put some bread in the palm of my hand and one perched on my hand to eat it - cold toes ::yes::!

Things have indeed changed!
Now you can get a fine if you feed the pigeons.
(One of the city's attempts to control the birds.)

It might be working, since I don't remember seeing all that many.
Some. But nowhere near what I thought we'd see.

And yes... we did feed some pigeons.
We didn't know (at the time) that it was illegal.

We're outlaws!
Cool!


Wasn't planning to take DS to Venice on our Europe trip...now, rethinking it...he wants Norway and Germany, I was going to fly into Paris for one day there first, and now I am remembering our trip to Italy and how amazing it was! Although he might prefer the top of the Zugspitze - it was clear the day we visited, saw mountain tops stretching out forever :lovestruc!

Anything you do will be memorable.
But yes, I can definitely recommend Venice.


I'm sure she will visit again - I got the travel bug early, and did some amazing trips before we settled in VA. Now a lot of our vacation time involves trips to our family in the Midwest and a trip with our friends (he and his best friend is an only child, so it gives them someone to hang out with - they are like brother and sister). But we have made a few non-Disney trips, planning a few more before he strikes out on his own :sad:.

I hear ya. Elle is already talking about going on road trips.
Only recently found out that you need to be 18 to check into a hotel,
so I guess we've got a couple of years cusion before she sets out on her own.
 
Your pictures.....:faint: Other than that....I'm speechless, as nothing I could say would be as witty, charming or well written as your trip report. I'm enjoying it so much!!!!
 
Your pictures.....:faint: Other than that....I'm speechless, as nothing I could say would be as witty, charming or well written as your trip report. I'm enjoying it so much!!!!

My, Abby! What a witty, charming and well written comment! Thanks Marie!

Don't worry about English making good. I are faking it all times.
So you say what you want.

Besides, have you seen Thumper_Man's writing?
There's no way you could do any worse than him!

Seriously though. Very pleased that you're enjoying the report and took the time to say so, too! :)
 
Oh yeah, in Rome a guy walked up to my dd and put a small bird, canary I think, on her arm. He wanted me to pay him to take a picture of her with his little bird. The things they will do! I don't recall what we did. We tend to be suckers for beggars. There was this guy in Athens that had this little black kitten on a short leash, he was sitting in a cardboard box, looking to be sleeping, with this kitten laying on the box, he wasn't hurting the kitty but it's not normal for a kitten to just lay there for hours on end. I felt bad for it. We had been carrying dry cat food for all the strays we ran into so we gave the kitty some food which it ate readily and the guy a few bucks. Oh and I had gotten an ice cream so I let the kitten lick a little off my finger. It really enjoyed it. Around the Acropolis there are stray cats and dogs everywhere! Just roaming where they please. The caretakers of the Acropolis make sure they have plenty of fresh water and they are well fed. I'm guessing the dogs and many of the cats are spayed and neutered. The dogs were all older looking and there weren't tons of kitten though there were some. I actually tried to give a piece of my breakfast croissant to one of the dogs, it turned its nose up at it!

Ah, that is sweet that you fed the cat. I wouldn't have known about the strays. I guess some of them are over fed. :rotfl2:


I don't think I posted that it's on stilts.
It never occurred to me that I should've explained Venice a little more.
But maybe I should have. It certainly is an odd city in that way.


I hope they are able to stop it from sinking - it is just so historical and beautiful. What a shame if some day Venice was a legend like Atlantis. :(

It was awesome.
Probably in any famous city, but definitely in Venice, it really pays to get away from the packed tourist areas.
The best masks, the best glass, the best food... all not easily found.
And worth the search! :)


True - it is never the best option to follow the crowd - unless you are at a big stadium - the crowd usually knows which door to get in and how to get out of the building:thumbsup2


I KNEW IT!
I thought I saw you crawling out of there when I wasn't looking!
I saw motion out of the corner of my eye, and I was like, "Tammie??? Nah."


Sorry, I tried to lose a little weight, but then I got to Germany and ate too many pretzels.

You're welcome... And you should!
Venice is a lot of peoples' favourite city.


Hmm, DLP and then Venice?:confused3

I wax poetic, but I do the dishes prosaically.
Thanks for all the nice comments, Tammie!


Well, I don't know if there is another way to do dishes, unless you let the dog help you.

:lmao:
 
I hope they are able to stop it from sinking - it is just so historical and beautiful. What a shame if some day Venice was a legend like Atlantis. :(

No kidding. Far too magical to risk losing.

True - it is never the best option to follow the crowd - unless you are at a big stadium - the crowd usually knows which door to get in and how to get out of the building:thumbsup2

Also don't follow the crowd during the running of the bulls in Pamplona.

Sorry, I tried to lose a little weight, but then I got to Germany and ate too many pretzels.

Oh, really? Pretzels, huh?
My issue was with all the torte.


mmmmmmm....... torte.

But that would explain why it seemed to get heavier...


Hmm, DLP and then Venice?:confused3

Sure! Why not!

Well, I don't know if there is another way to do dishes, unless you let the dog help you.

:lmao:

You mean, you don't?
 
PKONDZ!!!!

Alright, we can just go ahead and agree that I am a lout for temporarily abandoning you. It's been busy my friend, what with two of your white h -e- double hockey sticks winter systems blowing through my corner of the world within a two week time span. It's been nuts!

Italy.....oh how I love you and desperately want to go back. As you might recall, DH and I have not been to Venice, but we have been to Florence, Rome, and the Umbrian countryside and you MUST take Ruby to these cities. They all have such a distinctly unique feel to them. We spent 8 days, 7 nights between the locations and it wasn't nearly enough. We have talked about needing at least 14 days there, but three weeks might be better.

Your photos and video are incredible. It's hard not to get poetic and mushy about Italy.

And last, but not least....NEBO!!!!! I can't tell you how great it is to see you posting. But for the love of Pete, Pkondz, we CAN NOT let Nebo get anywhere near a gondola. Can you even imagine what could happen? Simply falling out would be too easy. I'm afraid to wager a guess on just what the result could be. :sad2:
 
PKONDZ!!!!

WHAT!!!!

Alright, we can just go ahead and agree that I am a lout for temporarily abandoning you. It's been busy my friend, what with two of your white h -e- double hockey sticks winter systems blowing through my corner of the world within a two week time span. It's been nuts!

Okay. You're forgiven.

Wanna know something?
For about two days now, I've been feeling a little off.
The TR was moving along. Coming down to the home stretch.
But...

Ah. I know what's bugging me.
Haven't heard from Dee Dee in a while.
Then I start to worry.
Is everything okay?
What if the baby's sick? Or Dee Dee?

Yeah, I was worried.

I talked (briefly) with Nebo the other day.
I wanted to call him back so I could ask him if he'd heard from you lately.

I'm just glad you're back! :goodvibes


Italy.....

It's a country in Europe.

oh how I love you

:blush: Gee, buzz... I don't know what to say.
I mean I'm flattered and everything...


As you might recall, DH and I have not been to Venice, but we have been to Florence, Rome, and the Umbrian countryside and you MUST take Ruby to these cities. They all have such a distinctly unique feel to them.

We really want to go back. More time in Venice, yes, but definitely we want to see more of Italy, and Rome and Florence are both at the top of the list.
It's going to be a while before we can get back, though.


Your photos and video are incredible. It's hard not to get poetic and mushy about Italy.

Thanks!

But for the love of Pete, Pkondz, we CAN NOT let Nebo get anywhere near a gondola. Can you even imagine what could happen? Simply falling out would be too easy. I'm afraid to wager a guess on just what the result could be. :sad2:

I think you're right.
Although the closest he's likely to get would be in Las Vegas at the Venetian.

But... what would happen?

Well, Katherine Hepburn got a permanent eye infection when she fell in while filming Summertime.

Need eye say more?



Now don't be such a stranger, lady!
 
Been a little absent from the Dis lately. Work has been a little busy. Off to see what kind of trouble Ponzi has gotten into now.
 
Now I'm really bummed I read this last chapter.

Remember when I said that we collect Coca Cola stuff? Well that is something Lady H and I do together.

Now that I read you went to Hard Rock Cafe, I wish I would've known you were going there. I would've sent money so you could buy and ship me some of the guitar pins. I've been collecting them for years. I get one every chance I get. Even if we don't go in and eat, I at least go in and shop. I have a shadow box where I have about half of them displayed. The other half are stored until I can buy another shadow box. I'll take pictures tonight and post them to show you what I have. When you go back, let me know. I'll gladly send money to you if you'd be willing to buy them for me. I would even be willing to give you back your man card.

Excuse me while I go to the corner and pout now.
 
You know, it's a little funny and maybe a tiny bit odd, but I really do think of you guys as friends. Even when I'm not posting, I'm talking about you all to my family. When the first snow came in on January 28th, DH and I joked about taking pictures and asking you to take your Great White North back. Ditto with the second snow/ice event we just had over the last few days. I can't imagine a better meet than one where a lot of us converge on the World at the same time. ;)

Can you believe Tinkerbuzz will be 15 months old tomorrow? She has such a neat little personality. Her big sister has taken to making these really popular rubber band bracelets and despite her young age Tinkerbuzz thinks she is something else when she is wearing one. She literally runs everywhere and she is working on her molars now. She can say anything she wants to of which the most probable is usually a firm "NO". ;)

I am so sad that your TR will be ending soon. I can't imagine not hearing more Pkondz family adventures, but I will just need to migrate over to the Thumper's TR.

It will be a while before we can go back to Italy, but I know it deserves another visit. Ideally, I would love to take each of the kids on a solo trip with DH and I to Europe when they graduate, to broaden their horizons a little, so to speak.

It's so hard to describe the different cities in Italy, but I know the places I have been each have a very distinctive feel and identity. Rome feels very modern in one turn, yet very ancient as well. It's busy and well, happening. That happening part has been present for thousands of years. Florence feels timeless and well "old country", but in a great way. It's busy, but it doesn't have the buzz that Rome has. It has an artistic vibe to it. The Umbrian countryside is breathtakingly beautiful. It makes you appreciate life and the moment. I could easily live in one of the small city/towns that make up that countryside and be happy. It feels like the secret to a contented life rests there.

And Nebo, yes, Nebo and I are playing phone tag. I'm going to catch him this weekend though....I am determined! I miss he and Smidgy so much!

And yep, I've missed you too Pkondz. ;)
 
I'll take pictures tonight and post them to show you what I have.

My HRC pin collection. May not be the biggest collection, but just about every pin in my collection has been bought by me. Some were gifts and some I have given money to people to bring back for me. I would say about 95% I have personally selected and brought home. The other 5% have been brought to me by other people. Keep in mind, when I buy them, I usually buy 2-3 at a time each trip, take it there's a HRC nearby.

Pins currently displayed in a shadow box.



Pins that came in their own display box.



Pins that still need to be displayed.

 
Been a little absent from the Dis lately. Work has been a little busy. Off to see what kind of trouble Ponzi has gotten into now.

Promise?


Now I'm really bummed I read this last chapter.



Remember when I said that we collect Coca Cola stuff? Well that is something Lady H and I do together.

The family that collects Coca Cola stuff together, stays together.


Or something like that.


Now that I read you went to Hard Rock Cafe, I wish I would've known you were going there. I would've sent money so you could buy and ship me some of the guitar pins. I've been collecting them for years.

NOW you tell me!

When you go back, let me know. I'll gladly send money to you if you'd be willing to buy them for me. I would even be willing to give you back your man card.

That's what you call making an offer I can't refuse!
It might be a while... a long while... before we get back there.
No promises, but I might be able to get you a Niagara Falls one if you don't have one.
Possibly Toronto, too.




You know, it's a little funny and maybe a tiny bit odd, but I really do think of you guys as friends.

Ditto.

When the first snow came in on January 28th,

Wait.

Stop.

first snow on January 28th..

first.

snow.


January 28th.


first....

...




:faint:



DH and I joked about taking pictures and asking you to take your Great White North back. Ditto with the second snow/ice event we just had over the last few days.

Second event.

You've only had two "events"???




:faint::faint:

I can't imagine a better meet than one where a lot of us converge on the World at the same time. ;)

::yes::

Can you believe Tinkerbuzz will be 15 months old tomorrow?

No! How is that possible?

She has such a neat little personality. Her big sister has taken to making these really popular rubber band bracelets and despite her young age Tinkerbuzz thinks she is something else when she is wearing one. She literally runs everywhere and she is working on her molars now. She can say anything she wants to of which the most probable is usually a firm "NO". ;)

:laughing: Wow, that sounds familiar!

I am so sad that your TR will be ending soon. I can't imagine not hearing more Pkondz family adventures, but I will just need to migrate over to the Thumper's TR.

There ya go.
You give and give and give.
And when there's no more to give?
They abandon you!

Be careful T Man. She'll steal your heart then toss it in the bin when she's done with you.


It will be a while before we can go back to Italy, but I know it deserves another visit. Ideally, I would love to take each of the kids on a solo trip with DH and I to Europe when they graduate, to broaden their horizons a little, so to speak.

Whoa. You really know how to reward your kids!

It's so hard to describe the different cities in Italy, but I know the places I have been each have a very distinctive feel and identity. Rome feels very modern in one turn, yet very ancient as well. It's busy and well, happening. That happening part has been present for thousands of years. Florence feels timeless and well "old country", but in a great way. It's busy, but it doesn't have the buzz that Rome has. It has an artistic vibe to it. The Umbrian countryside is breathtakingly beautiful. It makes you appreciate life and the moment. I could easily live in one of the small city/towns that make up that countryside and be happy. It feels like the secret to a contented life rests there.

That was very well said. Earlier this evening I was telling Ruby how you recommended Rome, Florence and... I couldn't remember the Umbrian countryside. But now I do.

And Nebo, yes, Nebo and I are playing phone tag. I'm going to catch him this weekend though....I am determined! I miss he and Smidgy so much!

Nebo and I play that game really well.

And yep, I've missed you too Pkondz. ;)

awwww.... shucks. :blush:

My HRC pin collection.

That's quite the collection T-Man. Not bad.
I don't collect anything... well, I just just started.
 

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