Location: Florence, Italy

We traveled to Florence on Tuesday via high speed train. We checked into our hotel that was near the Central Market and really not too far from the train and bus station. Our hotel has a pool on the roof and a beautiful view of the city. We had some Aperol Spritz's and a small bite to eat. Later we watched the sunset from there as well. We had a walk & talk tour the next day and walked a lot. We saw many sculptures and heard about the Medici family. We walked to the Arno River and were on the Pont De Vecchio bridge. While Dean relaxed after getting back to the hotel, I went back down to do some shopping. 

We took a day trip to Pisa on a bus with a tour group. Unfortunately, it was a scattered rainy day. We went into the church and heard all about it, the baptistry, cemetery, and bell tower. I didn't walk the almost 300 steps to the top of the leaning tower. I figured I was not interested in that many narrow and wet marble stairs with no handrail. No grazie! 

We loved the cooking class in Florence. It was just a couple of blocks from our hotel so that was perfect. Tomasso was our chef and there were 14 total in the class and Dean and I were right in front of the chef. We had the best seats! We started with a trip to the Central Market to get the meat for the lasagna. While there we stopped at a store and had a presentation and tastings of oils, vinegars, limoncello, meloncello, pestos, and more. So good! Back to the kitchen to get started. We made the sauce for the lasagna, then made the tiramusi so that could get in the fridge to chill. We made the béchamel sauce next. After that we made the pasta dough for the lasagna. We began constructing the lasagna layer by layer then they all went in the oven. Between each of these we had cheese and wine, then focaccia bread and wine. Then when everything was finished we enjoyed the fruits of our labor. It was a late lunch of our lasagna and delicious tiramisu. We passed the class and got our certificates.

We made it to the meeting spot for the tour to San Gimignano and Sienna. There were too many to all fit in the bus so there was a van for 8 people. Dean and I made it on that one. Loved having a smaller group for that. Lots of hills and walking in both places but also time for sitting and enjoying the sites. Had dinner at a small winery after leaving Sienna. We got back earlier than the bus but it was still late so we took a taxi back to hotel.

The next day was a free day so we got tickets to the Ufizzi Gallery. We leisurely walked across town to the Arno near the Gallery. We stopped along the way for lunch as well as an affogato, yum! The Ufizzi was beautiful!

Trying to find a better way to post pictures on Blogger. So those will be forthcoming. One for now

The next entry will be the Sorrento!

Ciao!

 

Location: Venice, Italy

I managed to sleep a few hours on the plane. Dean, on the other hand, was not so lucky. We didn’t spend the oodles of money for the lay down area on United, so we could only move so much. I didn’t get up at all during the flight from Newark to Venice. Dean got up once to let me turn to put on my compression socks. That was it. He tried to sleep but was very limited. 

We arrived in Venice and we shuffled through customs with passports in hand. We were herded to the turnstiles, read the instructions, and made it through to baggage. After hefting them off the conveyor, we made our way through the exit and looked for the man holding a sign with my name on it. It was pretty quick and we found him. We followed him to a van, loaded up, then started to head to our boat transfer location. There someone else brought us to the boat that was our transfer. When we got off that boat, we were at our hotel, Palazzo Giovanelli.

Since it was now the next morning and didn’t sleep much on the plane, we had to wait until noon for our room. That meant two hours of walking around. Dean was a zombie! His feet hurt, his back hurt, and he just wanted…needed… sleep! Back at 12:30 for our room. We slept about three and a half hours and felt much better. We had dinner at a bistro nearby.

We woke the next morning at noon! Dean crashed about 10 and I crashed about 11:30. What a good sleep!  On the third anniversary of our first date, we went on a gondola ride. It was peaceful and beautiful.

The other planned excursion and that was visiting Murano and Burbank. Murano Glass furnaces are all over the island. This is the authentic glass, you guys. I bought a necklace. Then Burano is the home of the lost art of lace making. The colorful Burano houses are another claim to fame as well as the leaning bell tower. Our tour guide, Eva, did a fabulous job and was a plethora of knowledge. 

We walked around, up and over the canal bridges, and across the Rialto many times. Piazza San Marco, was the other spot we went to several times to see the sites. Did a little shopping for gifts to bring home.

(The photos below are in reverse chronological order.)

Ciao!

HONEYMOONING IN ITALY!

Heading to Italy tomorrow. Traveling to Venice, Florence, Pisa, Sienna, San Gimignano, Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Taormina, Mussomeli, Agrigento, Santo Stefano Quisquina, and Palermo.

I will post every couple of days along with some pictures!

Ciao!

What You Say Matters

I received an email last Friday from my travel insurance company. They have declined my request for reimbursement again. They found the phone records and listened to what they said to me. The bottom line is that my coverage does not include operational issues. What really sucks is that the people at the United Airlines counter told me it was weather related. I told the insurance person that as well and that the email said operational issues. 

Unfortunately, it looks like I will not be reimbursed for the $2500 Icelandic Air flight I booked. I certainly would have kept the replacement flight a day later that would have been free had I known I wasn't covered.

Words matter.

Ciao!

Still waiting…

I got an email a couple weeks ago from my travel insurance asking what number I called when I was told that I have coverage for whatever flight I booked to get home. I was able to answer them and also screenshot my mobile phone bill and show the calls I made. I should have also added the $22 I had to pay for those calls while I was in the Milan airport that day, not to mention the credit card interest I have paid since they haven’t reimbursed me yet.

I called today to inquire and I need to give them some more time. Hoping I hear by next week so I can get that refund and pay my credit card.

I looked through the Perillo Tours Brochure for 2024. It was such an amazing trip I am ready to go back. Hoping for a big family trip in 2025 or maybe 2026. What would be super cool is to have Dual Citizenship approved by then and have my Italian Passport for when I return. I want to see the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Sicily for sure.

Next June, I will be going to Costa Rica with the Spanish Club at work. Looking forward to that too. I am fundraising but haven’t even asked one person if they want to buy anything from the papers. I think it is food, cookies, popcorn, type stuff. I can’t ask at school because students are selling them too and they need to be able to sell to teachers. Hmmm, my sister-in-law did tell me to send her a letter for donations since she is in another state and doesn’t want/can’t to buy fundraiser food. I need to get that letter off to her. Let me know if you are so inclined to donate to my Costa Rica Trip.

Ciao!

The Plot Thickens

My Adventures in Italy in July ended with my return flight being canceled by United Airlines due to “operational issues.” When I did get home, I submitted a claim for reimbursement from the United flight that was canceled as well as a claim to my travel insurance company for reimbursement for the flight that I booked to get home. I received the United flight refund last week and promptly deposited it.

Thank you.

I just received word today that my claim for reimbursement was denied! No freaking way! I called within 20 minutes of receiving the email and the evaluators were already gone for the day. I was informed that I need to reply to the email that I am disputing it. So, I hung up and did just that.

I will give them a few days and call next week to see what happens from here.

Ciao!

Italy Slideshow

Here is a link to more pictures of Italy. I took about 1000 and there might be about 500 in this slideshow.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SsEuX12uMgWSSp3L8

Enjoy!