We took our 2 hour drive to Tuscany (Beautiful) arriving in Florence around lunch.
We talked to the hotel desk guys and he told us to take the 23 bus (23A coming home) downtown as parking would be too difficult. I concur.
We ride the bus and take in the sites including the statue of David. We didn't realize that it was about 20 feet tall -- and really was done so perfectly that you almost expected to see it breathe. Impressive.
Lunch -- Nicole goes crazy and gets spaghetti. I try to get something completely different and get spaghetti carbonara (awesome).
Snack -- Gelato (Nicole Vanilla, Matt Panna Cotta)
Dinner -- Nicole, Eggplant something something and Matt gets a leek and sausage rissoto. We finish with a berry and fruit of the forest yogurt (Nicole) and Matt gets a locally produced dark chocolate mousse which came with a realistic looking gellied pear mustard. I can't make that up.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Parma -- trust the TomTom
Monday - we did get a bit of a late start as we had to get 75% of our luggage from the airport. We took the five hour drive through France/Italy/Mont Blanc tunnel to get to Parma. We did get stopped at the Italian border for papers for about 1/2 hour, but didn't even get our passports stamped.
Our TomTom passed the test. It took us through some sketchy areas directly to the hotel. Marriage saved.
Dinner was wonderful. Appetizer of Parma Ham and Parmesan cheese. Nicole had breat of pheasant with a juniper berry gravy. I had sweet local sausage with potatos. She had a parfait for dessert. I had an egg nog custard that Rocked.
Not a bad start. Nicole has agreed to stay.
Our TomTom passed the test. It took us through some sketchy areas directly to the hotel. Marriage saved.
Dinner was wonderful. Appetizer of Parma Ham and Parmesan cheese. Nicole had breat of pheasant with a juniper berry gravy. I had sweet local sausage with potatos. She had a parfait for dessert. I had an egg nog custard that Rocked.
Not a bad start. Nicole has agreed to stay.
Monday, December 03, 2007
This sucks and I want to go home
So Nicole and I left for Europe on Saturday. Our flight didn't take off until 6, so it was a pretty easy day laying around, waiting to go to the airport -- or it would have been if we hadn't waited to pack until around oh, 3.
First flight
No issues. It was, after all, on the highly touted "Chataqua Airlines".
Second flight
Well, to be fair -- this was the big one -- Cincinnati to Paris, and it was Delta, so it had a bit more room for error. It started nicely. We boarded on time and taxied out to the runaway. An then the pilot announced that there was a "slight mechanical error". We thought that it was just that none of the reading lights worked (because they didn't) or that the planned movie didn't work (because it didn't). However it was that the number 2 engine wouldn't start. They had to fly a part up from Atlanta. So while 3 1/2 hour delays is unwelcome -- I did prefer to have the requisite number of working engines on my planes. I was also willing to let them take off and come back -- shake the bugs out -- before I got back on.
Unfortunately, there are a limited number of international flights on Saturday nights and so the Cincinnati terminal was closed. We were given the option of getting off the plane, but there were no restaurants open and we could not leave the immediate area. Or we could sit on the plane for three hours, watching, well listening, to a bad movie that kept sparking in and out -- for 3 1/2 hours before we took off.
Third flight
We were moved to a new flight to Geneva. No worries. I used the self-service kiosk instead of standing in line to talk to an Air France person to argue the same topic. Unfortunately, those that stood in line got baggage in Geneva. Those that used the self-service kiosk did not.
No bags
So luggageless we went to the hotel about 1/2 hour before my friends came to pick us up for a great fondue at their place. Great time...
Back to the hotel -- not so great time. No luggage. (I would later drive to the airport to pick it up the next morning -- as they had three of our bags, but were waiting to call on the 4th bag that was in Warsaw, Poland -- luckily this was our gift and not our clothing bag).
We slept in what we wore for the last 48 hours. Or we laid in bed and I tried to fall asleep to the gentle hum of Nicole (who had not slept on any of the flights) saying ever so sweetly "This sucks. Let's go home".
I did what she does when I try to hit on her.
I rolled over and pretended to be asleep.
First flight
No issues. It was, after all, on the highly touted "Chataqua Airlines".
Second flight
Well, to be fair -- this was the big one -- Cincinnati to Paris, and it was Delta, so it had a bit more room for error. It started nicely. We boarded on time and taxied out to the runaway. An then the pilot announced that there was a "slight mechanical error". We thought that it was just that none of the reading lights worked (because they didn't) or that the planned movie didn't work (because it didn't). However it was that the number 2 engine wouldn't start. They had to fly a part up from Atlanta. So while 3 1/2 hour delays is unwelcome -- I did prefer to have the requisite number of working engines on my planes. I was also willing to let them take off and come back -- shake the bugs out -- before I got back on.
Unfortunately, there are a limited number of international flights on Saturday nights and so the Cincinnati terminal was closed. We were given the option of getting off the plane, but there were no restaurants open and we could not leave the immediate area. Or we could sit on the plane for three hours, watching, well listening, to a bad movie that kept sparking in and out -- for 3 1/2 hours before we took off.
Third flight
We were moved to a new flight to Geneva. No worries. I used the self-service kiosk instead of standing in line to talk to an Air France person to argue the same topic. Unfortunately, those that stood in line got baggage in Geneva. Those that used the self-service kiosk did not.
No bags
So luggageless we went to the hotel about 1/2 hour before my friends came to pick us up for a great fondue at their place. Great time...
Back to the hotel -- not so great time. No luggage. (I would later drive to the airport to pick it up the next morning -- as they had three of our bags, but were waiting to call on the 4th bag that was in Warsaw, Poland -- luckily this was our gift and not our clothing bag).
We slept in what we wore for the last 48 hours. Or we laid in bed and I tried to fall asleep to the gentle hum of Nicole (who had not slept on any of the flights) saying ever so sweetly "This sucks. Let's go home".
I did what she does when I try to hit on her.
I rolled over and pretended to be asleep.
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