Yesterday, I moved the last box into my 9th 'home' since college. I have lived in 3 'cities', in two countries.
12.5 years, 7 apartments, 2 houses.
I wonder how many days of my life I've lost to packing, moving, and unpacking?
All photographs were taken by, and are copyright of, the blogger.
30 April 2011
28 April 2011
Top 5 - Italy
ISeeing as how everyone I know is now planning a trip to Italy (and I know you don't want to read about how I've been packing boxes at 2am most nights this week) I thought I would write a comprehensive, definitely subject to change, list. This will be my last post on Italy for a while or I'm going to have to change the name of this blog.
MY TOP FIVE FAVORITE EXPERIENCES IN ITALY
*note, as I typed that title, I accidentally typed Eating instead of Italy...
#1. Snow in Venice. Thanksgiving Week, 2005
Visiting Awesome Amy on her postings abroad helped me become a better traveler and exposed me to my top two travel experiences ever (the other was watching the sunset from Tikal in Guatemala). On visiting her in Bologna, we decided to take the train to Venice on the same day as a train worker's strike. The strike was meant to begin mid-transit, so I was completely prepared to spend the day in some random Italian town, but the train delivered us to our destination and, as we dis-embarked, the sky growing ever grayer, the lady announcer told us the trains were now not running until 5pm..."Ciao ciao".
We emerged into the damp of Venice and the sky was threatening rain. Few tourists had ventured out in Venice that day (heck, few LOCALS had ventured out that day) and the narrow lanes were ours for the exploring. As we reached the top of St. Mark's Cathedral, snowflakes began to fall. By the time we found a tiny, hidden restaurant (Marie's, it's last night open until the grande-dame/owner - Marie - was to move away with her Jamaican boyfriend) the snow had stuck to rooftops, and Venice was a winter wonderland.
#2. Eating. In Italy. Anything. 2005 - present
See all previous posts on food in Italy. Some highlights: Porcini Risotto, Bologna (my first risotto); Octopus-in-hell, Vernazza; Meringue gelato, Pisa; Crema di Asparagi, Sorrento; Fresh pasta, Rome; Octopus and Celery salad, Sorrento; Stuffed mussels, Vernazza; mozzarella and prosciutto di Parma - everywhere!
#3. Hiking the Vernazza-Monterosso trail. Vernazza. 2010
Vernazza is possibly the most picturesque place I have visited in Italy. Every vista, peek up or down a stone staircase, glance down a steep cliff from a narrow trail is breathtaking. Hiking the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso (straight up hundreds of steps, along a trail, down a ravine, back up the other side, down hundreds of steps, pork for lunch in Monterosso) was mindblowing. I've never been on such a beautiful hike in all my life. I've also never said "wow" so many times in three hours.
#4. Talking to an old man. Sorrento. 2011
A local told me the hotel was located "in the fishing village." Not just a fishing village, the marina also had a few little restaurants and bars full of tourists and locals alike. A little 'bar' which had few tables for two dotted at the bottom of the hill where you entered the marina from Sorrento (which is perched high on the cliffs above), had a perfect view of the sunset. For just a few Euros, my travel buddy and I would sit there at sunset, having a pre-dinner glass of wine and read our books. On our last evening, one of the old men of the village, seeing two 'young girls' he could 'practice his English on,' came over to chat. The sunset was beautiful, the old man was a sweetheart, the wine was good and cheap - exactly what vacation memories are made of.
#5. Exploring Pisa. Pisa. 2010
Not only was my hotel in Pisa filled with antiques and old maps and not only did it serve an amazing breakfast (yes! I want fresh caprese salad and cured ham for breakfast! perfect!); not only was the weather perfect; the food at a local alleyway restaurant (slow cooked wild boar! fruits of the forest tart!) was amazing, the fresh markets were everywhere, and the graffiti was interesting. Oh, they had a tower, too, but that was the least memorable part of visiting Pisa!
MY TOP FIVE FAVORITE EXPERIENCES IN ITALY
*note, as I typed that title, I accidentally typed Eating instead of Italy...
#1. Snow in Venice. Thanksgiving Week, 2005
Visiting Awesome Amy on her postings abroad helped me become a better traveler and exposed me to my top two travel experiences ever (the other was watching the sunset from Tikal in Guatemala). On visiting her in Bologna, we decided to take the train to Venice on the same day as a train worker's strike. The strike was meant to begin mid-transit, so I was completely prepared to spend the day in some random Italian town, but the train delivered us to our destination and, as we dis-embarked, the sky growing ever grayer, the lady announcer told us the trains were now not running until 5pm..."Ciao ciao".
We emerged into the damp of Venice and the sky was threatening rain. Few tourists had ventured out in Venice that day (heck, few LOCALS had ventured out that day) and the narrow lanes were ours for the exploring. As we reached the top of St. Mark's Cathedral, snowflakes began to fall. By the time we found a tiny, hidden restaurant (Marie's, it's last night open until the grande-dame/owner - Marie - was to move away with her Jamaican boyfriend) the snow had stuck to rooftops, and Venice was a winter wonderland.
#2. Eating. In Italy. Anything. 2005 - present
See all previous posts on food in Italy. Some highlights: Porcini Risotto, Bologna (my first risotto); Octopus-in-hell, Vernazza; Meringue gelato, Pisa; Crema di Asparagi, Sorrento; Fresh pasta, Rome; Octopus and Celery salad, Sorrento; Stuffed mussels, Vernazza; mozzarella and prosciutto di Parma - everywhere!
#3. Hiking the Vernazza-Monterosso trail. Vernazza. 2010
Vernazza is possibly the most picturesque place I have visited in Italy. Every vista, peek up or down a stone staircase, glance down a steep cliff from a narrow trail is breathtaking. Hiking the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso (straight up hundreds of steps, along a trail, down a ravine, back up the other side, down hundreds of steps, pork for lunch in Monterosso) was mindblowing. I've never been on such a beautiful hike in all my life. I've also never said "wow" so many times in three hours.
#4. Talking to an old man. Sorrento. 2011
A local told me the hotel was located "in the fishing village." Not just a fishing village, the marina also had a few little restaurants and bars full of tourists and locals alike. A little 'bar' which had few tables for two dotted at the bottom of the hill where you entered the marina from Sorrento (which is perched high on the cliffs above), had a perfect view of the sunset. For just a few Euros, my travel buddy and I would sit there at sunset, having a pre-dinner glass of wine and read our books. On our last evening, one of the old men of the village, seeing two 'young girls' he could 'practice his English on,' came over to chat. The sunset was beautiful, the old man was a sweetheart, the wine was good and cheap - exactly what vacation memories are made of.
#5. Exploring Pisa. Pisa. 2010
Not only was my hotel in Pisa filled with antiques and old maps and not only did it serve an amazing breakfast (yes! I want fresh caprese salad and cured ham for breakfast! perfect!); not only was the weather perfect; the food at a local alleyway restaurant (slow cooked wild boar! fruits of the forest tart!) was amazing, the fresh markets were everywhere, and the graffiti was interesting. Oh, they had a tower, too, but that was the least memorable part of visiting Pisa!
27 April 2011
Italian Food
And...it always comes back to the food for me.
I made 3 food discoveries on this trip - all in Sorrento. I did have my first fresh pasta in Rome - and the texture and taste was unforgettable; but otherwise - let's just say of the food in Rome: it was good. It was Italian. It made my tummy happy.
In Sorrento, though, I made three food discoveries.
#1. Crema di Asparugi at La Lanterna Due. So good I went back for dinner a second time. An enormous bowl of amazing soup. Not terribly photogenic soup (you want a picture of green broth? really?) but warms your soul to the bone and makes you say "mmmm" every spoonful good. Creamy, with a chicken-stock broth (I think) and a mild asparagus flavor served piping hot. Three of my favorite food elements: asparagus, cream, and soup - in one spot.
#2. Fresh Octopus and Celery Salad. The way the Italians cook Octopus is meaty - full of texture and flavor. Fried Calamari is so much less than what octopus can be. I had no idea until last summer when I had Octopus "in hell" in Vernazza and discovered its true rich, meaty (read: NOT CHEWY) nature. When the waiter at Restaurante Sorrento (I think that was its name) read it off the specials board I knew immediately I had to order it - what, on earth, could be so special about Octopus and Celery? Well, when it's lightly dressed in white wine vinegar and lemon, the celery is crisp and cut so it can't be stringy, and the octopus is perfectly braised, it is VERY SPECIAL indeed.
#3. Giant Lemons. Nearly the size of American footballs, as big as an entire pint of strawberries, these were humongous lemons. I can be quoted as saying, while gazing gape-mouthed at the behemoth lemons, "If only margaritas were made with lemons ... hmm... wonder if its possible to grow limes that big, too?"
mmmm Italy. So yummy in all seasons.
25 April 2011
Ten Italy Travel Tips
I've just returned from my fourth trip to Italy, and by far the most tourist-laden of my experiences. Of course, going to Rome during Holy Week was always going to be crowded; and I had a good time - but so many others looked to be having miserable trips.
First, I understand why some people take package tours - but I am not one of those people. My first two bits of advice are for them (for the comfort of travelers like me):
Tip 1: Be aware of the people around you and turn down your earphones a bit (this was something new to me - entire tour groups listening to their guides through earphones - completely unaware of non-tour group people around them) so you can hear others (who prefer more independent modes of travel) asking politely to get by.
Tip 2: If you are trying to extend your hotel stay at the beginning or end of your tour, do not send the hotel an email. Follow the booking procedures on their website, or book through a reputable website (I like booking.com). When you check in, confirm ALL of your nights, don't rely on the tour operator to do it for you. You MAY have to change rooms, you will certainly have a different rate. All this should be settled on CHECK-IN, not after your bags have been unceremoniously packed by housekeeping and left at reception because you did not properly reserve the extra nights.
Tip 3: "Third Floor" usually means 100 steps or more to climb. We're talking old buildings with high ceilings and long, winding staircases. Be aware of this when booking hotels!
Tip 4: Do not assume you are 'smarter' than the guide and then try to show off at dinner to your jaded teenager - he knows, as some of the diners around you do too, that you are wrong.
Tip 5: Get there EARLY! Pompeii? At opening time is a dream of ghostly winding lanes, at noon, however, it can be a nightmare. Vatican Museums? Lining up 30 - 45 minutes before opening means a much shorter wait in the long run. Trevi Fountain? A mystical, beautiful site at 7am. A pick-pocket's dream at 7pm.
Tip 6: Research the public transportation options before arriving at your destination. Leave nothing to "I'll just suck-it-up-and-get-a-taxi." It could be a price difference of 20 Euro or more. Also, do not have a travel agent in the states book all your train tickets without first doing research of your own on the best way to get to your destination!
Tip 7: Have at least two pairs of shoes - one comfortable, already broken in, pair of sneakers; and one "other" pair that is comfortable for walking but fit very differently from the sneakers. Change shoes once a day (I usually change shoes after lunch) to minimize blisters.
....and now about the food...
Tip 8:Picking a restaurant. The tried and true "look for a daily specials board" often does not apply, especially in Rome, where this is used as a tourist lure. My Italian Rules for Restaurant Picking are: Nothing on the menu costs more than 10 Euro, menu does NOT feature pictures, language translation on menu is minimal, most customers (if any) are Italian, and restaurant is located on a quiet street/alley away from the tourist areas (if possible). This lead to some fantastic food discoveries this trip, with most meals for two, with a half-liter/liter of wine and 2 - 3 courses, falling under the 50 euro mark.
Tip 9: Be Adventurous with your palate. Never had Octopus? Italy is the joint to try it for the first time. Just beware the asterisks (*) on the menu, that usually mean the product is frozen - which is to be avoided at all costs.
Tip 10: The word "diet" does not exist on Italian vacations. EAT EVERYTHING, you'll remember the flavors and food far longer than it will take to burn the calories off.
First, I understand why some people take package tours - but I am not one of those people. My first two bits of advice are for them (for the comfort of travelers like me):
Tip 1: Be aware of the people around you and turn down your earphones a bit (this was something new to me - entire tour groups listening to their guides through earphones - completely unaware of non-tour group people around them) so you can hear others (who prefer more independent modes of travel) asking politely to get by.
Tip 2: If you are trying to extend your hotel stay at the beginning or end of your tour, do not send the hotel an email. Follow the booking procedures on their website, or book through a reputable website (I like booking.com). When you check in, confirm ALL of your nights, don't rely on the tour operator to do it for you. You MAY have to change rooms, you will certainly have a different rate. All this should be settled on CHECK-IN, not after your bags have been unceremoniously packed by housekeeping and left at reception because you did not properly reserve the extra nights.
Tip 3: "Third Floor" usually means 100 steps or more to climb. We're talking old buildings with high ceilings and long, winding staircases. Be aware of this when booking hotels!
Tip 4: Do not assume you are 'smarter' than the guide and then try to show off at dinner to your jaded teenager - he knows, as some of the diners around you do too, that you are wrong.Tip 5: Get there EARLY! Pompeii? At opening time is a dream of ghostly winding lanes, at noon, however, it can be a nightmare. Vatican Museums? Lining up 30 - 45 minutes before opening means a much shorter wait in the long run. Trevi Fountain? A mystical, beautiful site at 7am. A pick-pocket's dream at 7pm.
Tip 6: Research the public transportation options before arriving at your destination. Leave nothing to "I'll just suck-it-up-and-get-a-taxi." It could be a price difference of 20 Euro or more. Also, do not have a travel agent in the states book all your train tickets without first doing research of your own on the best way to get to your destination!
Tip 7: Have at least two pairs of shoes - one comfortable, already broken in, pair of sneakers; and one "other" pair that is comfortable for walking but fit very differently from the sneakers. Change shoes once a day (I usually change shoes after lunch) to minimize blisters.
....and now about the food...
Tip 8:Picking a restaurant. The tried and true "look for a daily specials board" often does not apply, especially in Rome, where this is used as a tourist lure. My Italian Rules for Restaurant Picking are: Nothing on the menu costs more than 10 Euro, menu does NOT feature pictures, language translation on menu is minimal, most customers (if any) are Italian, and restaurant is located on a quiet street/alley away from the tourist areas (if possible). This lead to some fantastic food discoveries this trip, with most meals for two, with a half-liter/liter of wine and 2 - 3 courses, falling under the 50 euro mark.Tip 9: Be Adventurous with your palate. Never had Octopus? Italy is the joint to try it for the first time. Just beware the asterisks (*) on the menu, that usually mean the product is frozen - which is to be avoided at all costs.
Tip 10: The word "diet" does not exist on Italian vacations. EAT EVERYTHING, you'll remember the flavors and food far longer than it will take to burn the calories off.
15 April 2011
02 April 2011
Cairo Today
I've been seeing a lot of the sunrise recently. The beautiful calm of Cairo in the morning as the sun breaks the horizon takes my breath away - particularly on clear days.
Today was not one of those days. The sky is overcast and the air is surprisingly damp. However, I had plans that were not to be broken - my first trip downtown since the revolution!
The first change I noticed was walking to the metro. Typically, walking to the metro in my neighborhood has meant endless catcalls and harassment from the time I set foot on the Corniche until I'm safely ensconced in the women's carriage of the metro. (I have not ridden the metro since January when some men were aggressively shouting at my roommate and I trying to get our attention). In a surprising 'New Egypt' development, I've ridden the metro twice in two days this weekend, and neither there nor back did I get more than a single "Welcome to Egypt!" This, in and of its self, is enough to give me pause.
My first year in Egypt, I would occasionally take the metro downtown on Friday or Saturday mornings and go to a museum, or shopping, or wandering. Midan Tahrir was always bustling with people and traffic (except the very early Friday mornings, when only tourists were about). What I remember most about emerging from the metro in Tahrir Square, pre-revolution, is that there were always PEOPLE and CARS everywhere.
This morning, there was a distinct change stepping off the metro in Sadat station. Most of the passengers getting off were Egyptian women; as opposed to a mix of Egyptians and Westerners. The metro station was virtually empty compared to Saturday mornings in the past. When I emerged on the street, where there were once throngs of tourists trying to navigate the streets/hawkers/buskers/traffic, I saw only four. There were police directing traffic in the square, but, even though it was still quite a lot of traffic, it was not what it used to be. A few enterprising individuals sold tee shirts around the square, and most gave honest 'Egyptian' prices to me - only one man was fool enough to think I was a tourist and more than double the price of a tee shirt. Generally, there was no need to haggle, or argue, or push, or run through traffic. There was hardly anybody there.
The purpose of the jaunt downtown was a book fair hosted by AUC (American University, Cairo). It was a well stocked fair where I got three hard-back cookbooks (two Collichio, one Ripert) for under $20; some handicrafts made and sold by Eritrean and Sudanese refugees; and loads of books, which are usually quite expensive here, on deep discount.
On the way out of the campus, I took a few pictures. One wall of the AUC compound was decorated with post-revolution graffiti that was compelling. I love graffiti, particularly uplifting graffiti with a purpose.
As we left few protestors were still stationed in the center of the square, though they were really more standing and chatting than protesting. However, the scorch marks on the old NDP building, just beyond the pink museum, are still stark reminders of all that happened here. There are still broken out windows and myriad litter of a revolution, which seems to have been ground into the cement of the pavement in a way that appears un-sweepable.
One can never say it isn't always interesting to live in Cairo!
Today was not one of those days. The sky is overcast and the air is surprisingly damp. However, I had plans that were not to be broken - my first trip downtown since the revolution!
The first change I noticed was walking to the metro. Typically, walking to the metro in my neighborhood has meant endless catcalls and harassment from the time I set foot on the Corniche until I'm safely ensconced in the women's carriage of the metro. (I have not ridden the metro since January when some men were aggressively shouting at my roommate and I trying to get our attention). In a surprising 'New Egypt' development, I've ridden the metro twice in two days this weekend, and neither there nor back did I get more than a single "Welcome to Egypt!" This, in and of its self, is enough to give me pause.
My first year in Egypt, I would occasionally take the metro downtown on Friday or Saturday mornings and go to a museum, or shopping, or wandering. Midan Tahrir was always bustling with people and traffic (except the very early Friday mornings, when only tourists were about). What I remember most about emerging from the metro in Tahrir Square, pre-revolution, is that there were always PEOPLE and CARS everywhere.
This morning, there was a distinct change stepping off the metro in Sadat station. Most of the passengers getting off were Egyptian women; as opposed to a mix of Egyptians and Westerners. The metro station was virtually empty compared to Saturday mornings in the past. When I emerged on the street, where there were once throngs of tourists trying to navigate the streets/hawkers/buskers/traffic, I saw only four. There were police directing traffic in the square, but, even though it was still quite a lot of traffic, it was not what it used to be. A few enterprising individuals sold tee shirts around the square, and most gave honest 'Egyptian' prices to me - only one man was fool enough to think I was a tourist and more than double the price of a tee shirt. Generally, there was no need to haggle, or argue, or push, or run through traffic. There was hardly anybody there.
The purpose of the jaunt downtown was a book fair hosted by AUC (American University, Cairo). It was a well stocked fair where I got three hard-back cookbooks (two Collichio, one Ripert) for under $20; some handicrafts made and sold by Eritrean and Sudanese refugees; and loads of books, which are usually quite expensive here, on deep discount.
On the way out of the campus, I took a few pictures. One wall of the AUC compound was decorated with post-revolution graffiti that was compelling. I love graffiti, particularly uplifting graffiti with a purpose.
As we left few protestors were still stationed in the center of the square, though they were really more standing and chatting than protesting. However, the scorch marks on the old NDP building, just beyond the pink museum, are still stark reminders of all that happened here. There are still broken out windows and myriad litter of a revolution, which seems to have been ground into the cement of the pavement in a way that appears un-sweepable.
One can never say it isn't always interesting to live in Cairo!
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