In the last wedding-related post, I stopped right after we were introduced to the guests as Mr. and Mrs. (pause) (laughter) (pronunciation lesson) Blacharski (more laughter, cheers). Then we stood around on the dance floor taking pictures and hugging people. We kept trying to break away with the photographer, but everyone kept coming up to congratulate us and asking for pictures, so it took a while. We moseyed outside for official photos, and spent a bunch of time wrangling people into various configurations for pictures. It was lovely, and frustrating, and we completely missed hors d'oeuvres. Thankfully we didn't miss out on all of cocktail hour, because some kind person, I think Ryan, brought me a drink. Our photographer (Kim, from Coastal Moments Photography, who was FANTASTIC) cut everyone else loose so Tony and I could get some couples pictures out by the water, and she got some really fantastic shots. He was starting to get grumpy, and I admit I probably wasn't far behind, but then I would just look at him or my ring or all the people we love chatting with each other, and I was happy again! I think one of my favorite pictures from the entire day (besides the old-lady photo bomb) was a butt-squeeze. Hee hee.
We FINALLY went back inside for food, and honestly I don't remember a single thing about it, except I thought it was great. I'm pretty sure I was the first one in line - after all, someone has to break the ice, right? I sat with Mom and my grandparents and Reed came over for a visit, and I went and mingled at a few different tables after I was finished. I wish I had more time to visit with everyone, but I at least managed to get a few minutes with each person or small group. And of course everyone was really good about coming to say hello to us, too.
Tony and I said a toast, mostly thanking people for coming to share in our wedding day. It was so special to us to have everyone there. After all the hassle and troubles and traveling during crazy rain, I hope it was worth it to everyone else too, but I will forever treasure those memories. I'm especially happy our three grandparents were able to make it. Tony managed to find a round trip ticket from South Bend directly to St. Petersburg, so his grampa didn't have to navigate big airports or worry about changing gates. And my granny and grampa made the 5+ hour road trip with Uncle Spike, though Granny says she's too old to do that again. Aaron said a toast next, talking how important it was to find someone who has your back and is always on your team (shoutout to Lis!), and that he was happy we found that in each other. It was really sweet, and here I am admitting it publicly. I must be getting maudlin in my old age. (Remember how pretty I used to be?)
We opened up the dancing to Etta James' "At Last." I didn't want to dance, and we picked that song as sort of a timeless classic, and I'm glad I did after all. I am not exaggerating how badly I did NOT want to be up there, just us, but...again, I'm glad I did. It felt like forever though! Tony gave me a little spin and I remember looking out at everyone and saying something like, "What, no applause?" and people laughed and clapped. It was easier after that, and Tony even gave me a little dip at the end! Next up was "Celebration" (or "Celebrate;" one of those; you know I'm terrible at songs and musicians) by request of my mom, and all the ladies got up and danced to that one. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the dancing, but I do know that Tony's grampa got out there a few times! He specifically requested polka music, and we passed that request along to the djs. He got his wish, sort of. Knowing nothing about polka music, we just asked them to use their discretion in finding something. And they did...the chicken dance. Cluck cluck! And Grampa knew all the moves and everything! It made us both really happy to see him get out there.
Here's the link to a blog post our djs wrote about our wedding: http://bboyproductions.com/wedding-entertainment-with-dj-charles-the-blacharski-wedding-at-eglin/
I missed the "Mahna mahna" song, as I was changing out of my dress by then, but the last few songs of the evening were really fun. We specifically requested another Muppets song, from the Muppets Movie that was in the theater while we were dating (not Muppets Most Wanted, the one before that). It was "Life's a Happy Song" and I asked for it because, well, it's the muppets and it makes me happy, but also because one of my favorite Tony quotes comes from our movie date to watch that movie. (FYI, "Oh my God, I'm dating Fozzie Bear.") I was smiling for the whole thing, and pretty much everybody got out and danced with us, and it was the perfect ending to the reception!
One of the venue assistants asked if she could keep our centerpieces for her son's upcoming wedding, and I said sure thing. I think my mom kept all of the glassware, and I kept a few of the paper pinwheels and whatnot, but the lady took most of the rest of it. I'm happy to know it was going to a good home and gets to see another happy day! I didn't do a whole lot in terms of break-down, just grabbed gifts and cards and whatnot, as everyone else was super accommodating about helping out. Since we did our "rehearsal dinner" at the hotel at Hurlburt, we went to the "after party" at the other hotel. This is where some of the extended family and high school friends were staying. We started out visiting with his aunt and uncle in their room, then ventured out by the pool for a while. Since I was FREEZING out there, we then moved to the lobby. I'm sure the receptionist was very skeptical about having a dozen or more people lounging in the lobby with wine and cheese and music and silly stories, but we were pretty good. Not too loud and rowdy, just right. One of our guests missed the wedding because he wasn't feeling well, but we were happy to see him at the after party. Sometime after midnight, we went outside to light off some fireworks! And by we, I mean other people, because I went out and watched but of course, true to form, spent a few minutes freaking out about getting in trouble. Some of the guys, who shall remain nameless, went to the Taco Bell parking lot next door and found an open space with no tree branches overhead. The fireworks were great! Everybody should have fireworks at their wedding!
I think we hung out until 2 or 3am; not sure exactly. We finally went back to our room and...slept. Yeah, that's what we did. Until, I dunno, 9 or 10, when we started touching base with people for brunch/lunch plans. We wound up having lunch with a group at a Mexican restaurant, and I don't remember much except there were a ton of salsa options and I thought it was very tasty! Oh, and they had a couple of Abita beers. It always brings a smile to my face to see Abita outside of Louisiana. After lunch, those who hadn't hit the road for home already took off. It was bittersweet, especially saying good-bye to my mom, because I didn't (still don't) know when I'll see her again.
Tony went back to the hotel room for a nap, and I headed out to meet a couple of friends and their friends. I think at an outdoor bar or restaurant, but I just sat and enjoyed the weather and the visit. I did that for an hour or two and then went back to wake Tony up. We met one more friend for dinner that night, and that pretty much concluded our wedding weekend! Many thanks to everyone who helped make it so wonderful.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Friday, September 19, 2014
Uff da, the craziness and hectivity abound
Yes, hectivity is a real word. I made it up just now.
I have been a very busy bee, and it has been a roller coaster-ish couple of weeks. I had some friends come to visit, and we had a delightful time! We did wine-tasting at Villa Sceriman and Enomas, watched a historical regatta in Venice, found the castle in Bassano del Grappa along with the distillery museum, and explored the castle and ruins in Sirmione. We were blessed with terrific weather, and they came back from venturing on their own in Florence and Rome with some good tales and excellent advice. Can't wait for the next round of visitors! Now...who's it going to be, hmm?
Let's see, I got kidnapped for my birthday and celebrated with sushi, a walk around a street fair, and some really dang good gelato. (My delightful friends also presented me with a fruit tart in Venice to celebrate - there was a candle and they sang to me! Going down in the history books as a really wonderful birthday. I like 32 so far!) Then I tasted more wine and harvested and stomped grapes at Le Pignole, which might be one of my new favorite places ever. I'm sensing a trend here, with all the vino...Which reminds me, if you like wine and drink a fair amount of it and like trying new ones, you may be interested in the app Vivino. I use it to help me remember what I've tasted, bought, liked, and disliked, and also to get recommendations. You can take pictures of wine bottles and the app will match it with something in its database, and if it's not in the database real live people will research and add it. You can rate wines and compare other people's ratings and pricing information, and it's pretty dang helpful.
I also dog-sat for a friend (the same lovely friend who kidnapped me) for four days, and had a very fun time cuddling and playing fetch. However, I think my favorite gelato place (conveniently located 1/8 of a mile from home) is probably the ONLY gelato joint in the entirety of Italy which does NOT allow dogs. Whoopsie.
I watched the bi-annual Live Chess tournament in Marostica, and had some delicious pumpkin risotto for dinner beforehand. I think there were a total of 12 of us who went as a group, and it was a really fun event despite the rain delay. If anyone is planning a visit in September 2016, I will take you to it! There were flag twirlers and sword fighters and dancers and horses; the costumes and pageantry were great! Hopefully by 2016 I will understand more Italian and be able to translate a bit of the story. All I got were "La bella regina bianca," a few other chess piece names, and some disjointed words. But I had fun laughing smarmily when everyone else did.
Then I battled a mid-term exam for roughly 30 hours, then I got sick, then I got better, I recorded a bunch of radio commercials for the Local Red Cross, I'm going to a picture framing and matting class tomorrow, and Tony comes home soon! Next weekend: Oktoberfest in Munich!
Verily, life is good.
I have been a very busy bee, and it has been a roller coaster-ish couple of weeks. I had some friends come to visit, and we had a delightful time! We did wine-tasting at Villa Sceriman and Enomas, watched a historical regatta in Venice, found the castle in Bassano del Grappa along with the distillery museum, and explored the castle and ruins in Sirmione. We were blessed with terrific weather, and they came back from venturing on their own in Florence and Rome with some good tales and excellent advice. Can't wait for the next round of visitors! Now...who's it going to be, hmm?
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| Entry to Sceriman |
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| In Venice, near sunset |
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| "Pink ladies" in the Venice Regata Storica |
Let's see, I got kidnapped for my birthday and celebrated with sushi, a walk around a street fair, and some really dang good gelato. (My delightful friends also presented me with a fruit tart in Venice to celebrate - there was a candle and they sang to me! Going down in the history books as a really wonderful birthday. I like 32 so far!) Then I tasted more wine and harvested and stomped grapes at Le Pignole, which might be one of my new favorite places ever. I'm sensing a trend here, with all the vino...Which reminds me, if you like wine and drink a fair amount of it and like trying new ones, you may be interested in the app Vivino. I use it to help me remember what I've tasted, bought, liked, and disliked, and also to get recommendations. You can take pictures of wine bottles and the app will match it with something in its database, and if it's not in the database real live people will research and add it. You can rate wines and compare other people's ratings and pricing information, and it's pretty dang helpful.
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| First birthday picture! |
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| At the Vicenza fair |
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| Kids running around at Le Pignole |
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| A real, genuine, authentic grape stomp! |
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| Live chess match in Marostica |
Then I battled a mid-term exam for roughly 30 hours, then I got sick, then I got better, I recorded a bunch of radio commercials for the Local Red Cross, I'm going to a picture framing and matting class tomorrow, and Tony comes home soon! Next weekend: Oktoberfest in Munich!
Verily, life is good.
Friday, August 29, 2014
March 29, 2014
I just realized I wrote about the pre-wedding day festivities, but never recorded my thoughts from the actual day. Whoops! I better serve posterity and git 'er done.
Tony and I defied tradition by staying in the same hotel the night before we got married, so we definitely saw each other ahead of time on the wedding day. We also defied tradition by moving in together before the wedding, but let's not quibble over details. We were staying at the Commando Inn on Hurlburt Field, along with a good chunk of our guests. We didn't realize the Inn had multiple buildings, one of which was across a highway, so that was a bit of a headache. After a quick breakfast of a super healthy chocolate-chip granola bar and banana, I think, and of course a leftover ginger cookie (thanks, Mom!), I headed over to Eglin to set up the venue. Jennifer, Mom, and Nicole came with, and we had no issues on our trial run of bringing guests onto the base. Yesss! One source of stress eliminated.
Well, when we got there, the building was locked, even though we were assured it would be opened for us bright and early. One source of stress, found. We waited out front for a few minutes, hoping that our point of contact was just running late, and I called every phone number on the contracts. No joy. At that point I started walking around the building and opening doors, and luckily found one unlocked. Crisis averted! I had a hair appointment at 11, so we were in a crunch to set up though. Thankfully, I had an awesome assistance crew, even though Nicole was feeling under the weather. We decorated all of the tables in record time, but I was still running late to my hair appointment. Fortuntely, the lady was very understanding when I called and said it was no problem.
Mom and Jennifer dropped me at the salon and left to run some mysterious errands. I have a confession to make: I hated my hair. I brought several pictures to show the lady, and it ended up not being what I had in mind at all. She tried a few times to do it that way (I'd requested some braids) but gave up and started curling. I get it; my hair is very fine and sometimes braids aren't the best, but even my back-up pictures didn't seem to get the message across. I like how my hair looks in some of the pictures, but from some angles I really just want to cringe. Oh well. C'est la vie. It was fine, just not what I had envisioned. Thankfully, when Mom and Jennifer came back to pick me up, they said they really liked it, which cheered me right up! I think a girl is entitled to be vain on her wedding day.
We went back to Hurlburt and...I'm a little fuzzy on what happened next. I must have eaten lunch in there somewhere. There was some confusion in getting my grandparents on base, so I met them at the gate and escorted them over to their building. Joey was delivering Emily to do my make-up, and they ended up picking me up on one side of the highway and then bringing me back to my room. I did not anticipate all the logistical issues when picking that hotel and venue, let me tell you! But Em did a wonderful job, as I of course predicted, and I really love how my make-up looked. I'm not just saying that to be nice, either. It held up great (as did my hair) throughout the evening and I think I'm just glowing in all the pictures. I was a little sketchy on the plan from there, but Em and I ended up riding with my dad over to the other hotel to lead a caravan, and Tony took our rental car to another meeting place to lead a separate caravan. It was like a little reunion in the parking lot! We also met the photographer there, and she rode with us, too.
I'm not sure how many vehicles we ended up leading, but I think it was about 8. No problems getting anyone onto the base! Woohoo! I think it helped that the vast majority of our guests were on a pre-approved list, and there was another larger wedding the same day. That was really the only thing that truly caused me stress in the few days leading up to the wedding. We had so many guests traveling from out of town that I would have been crushed if any of them couldn't be there to celebrate with us.
We arrived at the venue on Eglin right around the same time as everyone else, maybe a few minutes earlier, so it was like another little reunion in the parking lot. I remember walking across the parking lot in my loafers and zippy sweatshirt (can't mess up the hair!) and watching an old lady approach my high school friends. It looked like they answered a question for her, and then she went on her merry way. She was cute and tiny, but not part of my group, but I didn't think much about it at the time. I remember watching my mom hug everybody and being so happy about it. Anyway, then I scootched into the ladies' room to finish getting ready.
Party in the bathroom, whoop! It was basically all my high school girls, and mom, and my cousin Chantal, and a few other people passing in and out. I had about 5 different jewelry options and I made everybody vote. And then I needed help getting into the dress because of the silly slip, and Sarah tied a very lovely bow on the back of the dress for me. It was about 5:05 or maybe 5:10 at that point, and we were running late. We joked ahead of time that we were starting at 5 sharp, threatening people that we were on military time and if they were late, on their own heads be it. Everybody vacated the bathroom except me and my mom, and we had a couple minutes to ourselves. She commented that I didn't seem nervous at all, and I just smiled because all I felt was assurance. Well, and happiness and excitement but mostly just a calm conviction that I was absolutely walking on the right path. We hugged, and I asked her to give me a minute to myself and go let everybody know I'd be out shortly.
I looked at myself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and told myself I was a smoking hottie! Ha ha, not really, but I should have. I just did a mental once-over to make sure I had the bouquet and ring and the bow was still tied, my shoes were buckled, I didn't have lipstick on my teeth or anything, and then I walked out. It was a very short walk to the ballroom doors, and when I walked through I could tell nobody was ready yet. I hovered there for a moment and made eye contact with one of the djs. They scrambled a little bit and I debated turning around and going back to the bathroom for a few more minutes, but at that point Tony saw me. He started walking toward me and everyone noticed I was there. We ended up walking toward each other and meeting at the top of a little ramp, which was totally unplanned but worked out perfectly. One of my favorite pictures is of us smiling at each other at the top of the ramp. We made our way to the dance floor and I gave my mom my bouquet.
I'd never met our minister before, but we had corresponded via e-mail a few times. He did a really great job for us, and I'm glad he was our officiant. He sent us a few sample "scripts" for his message and our vows, and we picked a few that we liked and combined them. We specifically asked him to talk about surrounding ourselves with people we love, and to thank everyone for traveling so far to be with us. When we exchanged rings, Tony put mine on my hand first and when it was my turn, the minister made a little joke about "with this much larger ring" and got a good laugh.
Next up, the vows.
Hey, remember that little old lady from the parking lot? If you were there, you know where this is going. If you weren't, I bet you never thought she'd play a bigger role in our story, did you? Anyway, I happened to be facing the water and Tony was facing back toward the parking lot. Our ballroom was glass on two sides, with a view of the water and a field and woods behind us. The shades were halfway down because of the sun, but you could still see outside quite clearly.
As Tony was saying his vows, I got distracted by a motion behind him. This is terrible, but I wasn't really listening to what he and the minister were saying. I was too busy trying not to bust out laughing. You see, the little old lady was slowly, methodically making her way across the field behind us! I was literally biting the inside of my cheek and saying over and over to myself, "Pay attention to Tony. Pay attention to Tony. Don't laugh. What he's saying is actually pretty important to your future, you should listen. Don't laughdon'tlaughdon'tlaugh!" I was nearly shaking, and I knew Tony knew something was up, but he couldn't see the little old lady! I knew better than to look at anybody in the audience either, because I surely would have lost it. Regardless of the distraction, we got married, the minister said we could kiss, and he said to the crowd something like "I am now happy to present Mr. and Mrs........"
He forgot how to pronounce our name!!!
We laughed, Tony turned around and reminded him (because he specifically told him how to pronounce it just before the ceremony started), and we were properly introduced to the crowd.
I'll leave off there and finish another time. Suffice to say, it was a very happy moment.
Tony and I defied tradition by staying in the same hotel the night before we got married, so we definitely saw each other ahead of time on the wedding day. We also defied tradition by moving in together before the wedding, but let's not quibble over details. We were staying at the Commando Inn on Hurlburt Field, along with a good chunk of our guests. We didn't realize the Inn had multiple buildings, one of which was across a highway, so that was a bit of a headache. After a quick breakfast of a super healthy chocolate-chip granola bar and banana, I think, and of course a leftover ginger cookie (thanks, Mom!), I headed over to Eglin to set up the venue. Jennifer, Mom, and Nicole came with, and we had no issues on our trial run of bringing guests onto the base. Yesss! One source of stress eliminated.
Well, when we got there, the building was locked, even though we were assured it would be opened for us bright and early. One source of stress, found. We waited out front for a few minutes, hoping that our point of contact was just running late, and I called every phone number on the contracts. No joy. At that point I started walking around the building and opening doors, and luckily found one unlocked. Crisis averted! I had a hair appointment at 11, so we were in a crunch to set up though. Thankfully, I had an awesome assistance crew, even though Nicole was feeling under the weather. We decorated all of the tables in record time, but I was still running late to my hair appointment. Fortuntely, the lady was very understanding when I called and said it was no problem.
Mom and Jennifer dropped me at the salon and left to run some mysterious errands. I have a confession to make: I hated my hair. I brought several pictures to show the lady, and it ended up not being what I had in mind at all. She tried a few times to do it that way (I'd requested some braids) but gave up and started curling. I get it; my hair is very fine and sometimes braids aren't the best, but even my back-up pictures didn't seem to get the message across. I like how my hair looks in some of the pictures, but from some angles I really just want to cringe. Oh well. C'est la vie. It was fine, just not what I had envisioned. Thankfully, when Mom and Jennifer came back to pick me up, they said they really liked it, which cheered me right up! I think a girl is entitled to be vain on her wedding day.
We went back to Hurlburt and...I'm a little fuzzy on what happened next. I must have eaten lunch in there somewhere. There was some confusion in getting my grandparents on base, so I met them at the gate and escorted them over to their building. Joey was delivering Emily to do my make-up, and they ended up picking me up on one side of the highway and then bringing me back to my room. I did not anticipate all the logistical issues when picking that hotel and venue, let me tell you! But Em did a wonderful job, as I of course predicted, and I really love how my make-up looked. I'm not just saying that to be nice, either. It held up great (as did my hair) throughout the evening and I think I'm just glowing in all the pictures. I was a little sketchy on the plan from there, but Em and I ended up riding with my dad over to the other hotel to lead a caravan, and Tony took our rental car to another meeting place to lead a separate caravan. It was like a little reunion in the parking lot! We also met the photographer there, and she rode with us, too.
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| Dad leading the caravan |
I'm not sure how many vehicles we ended up leading, but I think it was about 8. No problems getting anyone onto the base! Woohoo! I think it helped that the vast majority of our guests were on a pre-approved list, and there was another larger wedding the same day. That was really the only thing that truly caused me stress in the few days leading up to the wedding. We had so many guests traveling from out of town that I would have been crushed if any of them couldn't be there to celebrate with us.
We arrived at the venue on Eglin right around the same time as everyone else, maybe a few minutes earlier, so it was like another little reunion in the parking lot. I remember walking across the parking lot in my loafers and zippy sweatshirt (can't mess up the hair!) and watching an old lady approach my high school friends. It looked like they answered a question for her, and then she went on her merry way. She was cute and tiny, but not part of my group, but I didn't think much about it at the time. I remember watching my mom hug everybody and being so happy about it. Anyway, then I scootched into the ladies' room to finish getting ready.
Party in the bathroom, whoop! It was basically all my high school girls, and mom, and my cousin Chantal, and a few other people passing in and out. I had about 5 different jewelry options and I made everybody vote. And then I needed help getting into the dress because of the silly slip, and Sarah tied a very lovely bow on the back of the dress for me. It was about 5:05 or maybe 5:10 at that point, and we were running late. We joked ahead of time that we were starting at 5 sharp, threatening people that we were on military time and if they were late, on their own heads be it. Everybody vacated the bathroom except me and my mom, and we had a couple minutes to ourselves. She commented that I didn't seem nervous at all, and I just smiled because all I felt was assurance. Well, and happiness and excitement but mostly just a calm conviction that I was absolutely walking on the right path. We hugged, and I asked her to give me a minute to myself and go let everybody know I'd be out shortly.
I looked at myself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and told myself I was a smoking hottie! Ha ha, not really, but I should have. I just did a mental once-over to make sure I had the bouquet and ring and the bow was still tied, my shoes were buckled, I didn't have lipstick on my teeth or anything, and then I walked out. It was a very short walk to the ballroom doors, and when I walked through I could tell nobody was ready yet. I hovered there for a moment and made eye contact with one of the djs. They scrambled a little bit and I debated turning around and going back to the bathroom for a few more minutes, but at that point Tony saw me. He started walking toward me and everyone noticed I was there. We ended up walking toward each other and meeting at the top of a little ramp, which was totally unplanned but worked out perfectly. One of my favorite pictures is of us smiling at each other at the top of the ramp. We made our way to the dance floor and I gave my mom my bouquet.
I'd never met our minister before, but we had corresponded via e-mail a few times. He did a really great job for us, and I'm glad he was our officiant. He sent us a few sample "scripts" for his message and our vows, and we picked a few that we liked and combined them. We specifically asked him to talk about surrounding ourselves with people we love, and to thank everyone for traveling so far to be with us. When we exchanged rings, Tony put mine on my hand first and when it was my turn, the minister made a little joke about "with this much larger ring" and got a good laugh.
Next up, the vows.
Hey, remember that little old lady from the parking lot? If you were there, you know where this is going. If you weren't, I bet you never thought she'd play a bigger role in our story, did you? Anyway, I happened to be facing the water and Tony was facing back toward the parking lot. Our ballroom was glass on two sides, with a view of the water and a field and woods behind us. The shades were halfway down because of the sun, but you could still see outside quite clearly.
As Tony was saying his vows, I got distracted by a motion behind him. This is terrible, but I wasn't really listening to what he and the minister were saying. I was too busy trying not to bust out laughing. You see, the little old lady was slowly, methodically making her way across the field behind us! I was literally biting the inside of my cheek and saying over and over to myself, "Pay attention to Tony. Pay attention to Tony. Don't laugh. What he's saying is actually pretty important to your future, you should listen. Don't laughdon'tlaughdon'tlaugh!" I was nearly shaking, and I knew Tony knew something was up, but he couldn't see the little old lady! I knew better than to look at anybody in the audience either, because I surely would have lost it. Regardless of the distraction, we got married, the minister said we could kiss, and he said to the crowd something like "I am now happy to present Mr. and Mrs........"
He forgot how to pronounce our name!!!
We laughed, Tony turned around and reminded him (because he specifically told him how to pronounce it just before the ceremony started), and we were properly introduced to the crowd.
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| Tony reminding the minister how to pronounce our last name |
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| You thought I was kidding about the little old lady, didn't you? |
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Haircut & Spontaneous Jaunt
I got my haircut in Louisiana a week before our wedding in March, and haven't touched it since. After five months I was long overdue! I found a military spouse who cuts hair out of her home (or travels to yours) and booked an appointment for this past Monday. It was the first day of school, so it was easier for me to go to her house than for her to come to mine. She lives north of Del Din in an area I'd never visited before. I recognized a few landmarks - like a Brazilian restaurant we ate at once - on the way over, but definitely ventured out of my familiar territory. GPS got me pretty close to her house, but not exactly, so I ended up passing it three times. Whoopsie. Anyway, she cut off 3-4 inches and cleaned up my lairs, and did a great job. My appointment was for 1030 and originally I intended to just head home afterwards and make myself some lunch. But...I was in a good mood and got a wild hair to go check out a town I'd heard people speak of. I checked and it was less than twenty miles from the stylist's house, so off I went.
After the haircut, just air-dried. Not all that different from what it was before...
Bassano del Grappa is the home of grappa, the spirit. Since we moved here I've determined that I do NOT like grappa. It's too sweet for me. But the town has a castle and a couple of museums and I'd heard it was pretty quaint. I passed near Marostica, where Tony and I visited once before, and Nove, which is famed for its hand-painted ceramics. I also passed Breganze, which is also on my list of places to check out on day trips. All of these towns are part of the Veneto province and are snugged up against the Dolomites, so have great scenery.
At first I planned on just kind of cruising through Bassano and seeing if it was a good place to bring friends or check out with a group. (My first round of visitors are showing up this weekend!!!) If I found a cute place for lunch with easy parking, that was also a potential agenda item. I still get a little intimidated driving here, but parking is the WORST. Lots of parallel parking on tiny streets. Or else you have to pay, but the meters aren't always in English. While driving toward the town I saw some interesting-looking church towers, and just followed signs for the city center. I ended up going right past the church, and over a beautiful bridge from which you could see some spillways. Lots of pedestrians were walking across both sides of the bridges, and I decided to find a parking spot and walk across it myself. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, but my iPhone takes good enough snapshots. I ended up driving across that dang bridge three times and going down a SUPER narrow dead-end street, from which I had to Austin Powers my way out. Ugh. Did I mention I'm not too crazy about driving here? On my third time across I noticed a nice, friendly blue P, and aimed toward it. I saw another P with a sign that said "gratis" and an arrow pointing left, so left I went. A half mile later, I parked at a cemetery, and there was only one other car there, so it was wide open. And it was free! So I walked down to the bridge and took a couple pictures. I noticed another bridge upriver, a covered one. It looked like a lot of people were walking across it, so I made up my mind to find it. I found "my" church and took a couple pictures, and then started weaving my way through the city.
I ventured into a couple of shops selling local products. Not exactly tourist traps, exactly. Instead of post cards and magnets, they sold things like dried mushrooms, licorice, grappa (duh), and cherry sauce. Oh, Italy, how I love thee. I noticed several gelaterias, a creperia, and some interesting-lookiing antique shops, too, but didn't venture into any of them. (Well, that's not entirely true. I did have gelato, but only AFTER lunch. More on that in a second.) Eventually I found the covered bridge, and stopped to take a few pictures. They call it the Alpine Bridge, and it was designed by Palladio in the 1500s. (That's two Palladio bridges I have personally travelled over!) There's a museum, but it's closed on Mondays, and a tavern that's supposedly been open as long as the bridge has been. I did learn the original bridge burned in the 1700s, but it was rebuilt according to the same design. Supposedly the town was settled in the 2nd centure BC, but there's evidence suggesting people inhabited the area even hundreds of years earlier than that. Wikipedia, yo. I crossed the bridge and walked a block or two upriver for more pictures, then came back. I noticed lots of people sitting outside at a few bars and restaurants, and settled on a Bar & Bruschetteria for lunch. Can we all just stop and take a moment to appreciate the fact that I live in a place that has such things as bruschetterias, gelaterias, and creperias?? It looked like some locals were at the Bruschetteria at the foot of the bridge, or at least people familiar enough with the area to be drinking Spritzes. (3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol (Italian aperitif like Campari, but milder), splash of soda over ice and garnished with a slice of orange) When in doubt, eat where the locals are eating.
Y'all. That was the best bruschetta of my LIFE. I do not exaggerate. Parma ham, mozzarella, Asiago, artichoke hearts, and truffle oil. Another side note: Asiago is about 45 miles away and Parma is about 100 miles away. I think there will be some cheese and ham tasting in my future. But did I mention the bruschetta was amazing? And by the way, bruschetta here is not served like what we think of in the States. It's not served on crunchy little melba toasts, but instead on bread that has a texture more similar to french bread. Like garlic bread times a thousand.
After partaking of my wonderful bruschetta, I crossed the Alpine bridge again and got a chocolate gelato, and proceeded to wander for a few minutes more. Eventually I made my way back to the cemetery, which was remarkably well-kept. I did walk through it, and was impressed by the variety of gravemarkers. The oldest one I saw was from the 1960s, but I didn't walk all the way through the place, just up one side and back. Maybe I'm weird, but I like walking through graveyards. It was about 1:30 at this point and I decided to head home. I could see the castle, but didn't really feel like finding it. Lots of places in Italy are closed on Mondays, and I was in riposo period by then anyway. I had to save something to do for when I go back!
(You can see the castle in the background. And yes, I took this picture with my iPhone!)
Not too shabby for an impromptu trip! Bassano is a scenic little town and good for wandering. I recommend it, if for nothing else than the bruschetta.
After the haircut, just air-dried. Not all that different from what it was before...
Bassano del Grappa is the home of grappa, the spirit. Since we moved here I've determined that I do NOT like grappa. It's too sweet for me. But the town has a castle and a couple of museums and I'd heard it was pretty quaint. I passed near Marostica, where Tony and I visited once before, and Nove, which is famed for its hand-painted ceramics. I also passed Breganze, which is also on my list of places to check out on day trips. All of these towns are part of the Veneto province and are snugged up against the Dolomites, so have great scenery.
At first I planned on just kind of cruising through Bassano and seeing if it was a good place to bring friends or check out with a group. (My first round of visitors are showing up this weekend!!!) If I found a cute place for lunch with easy parking, that was also a potential agenda item. I still get a little intimidated driving here, but parking is the WORST. Lots of parallel parking on tiny streets. Or else you have to pay, but the meters aren't always in English. While driving toward the town I saw some interesting-looking church towers, and just followed signs for the city center. I ended up going right past the church, and over a beautiful bridge from which you could see some spillways. Lots of pedestrians were walking across both sides of the bridges, and I decided to find a parking spot and walk across it myself. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, but my iPhone takes good enough snapshots. I ended up driving across that dang bridge three times and going down a SUPER narrow dead-end street, from which I had to Austin Powers my way out. Ugh. Did I mention I'm not too crazy about driving here? On my third time across I noticed a nice, friendly blue P, and aimed toward it. I saw another P with a sign that said "gratis" and an arrow pointing left, so left I went. A half mile later, I parked at a cemetery, and there was only one other car there, so it was wide open. And it was free! So I walked down to the bridge and took a couple pictures. I noticed another bridge upriver, a covered one. It looked like a lot of people were walking across it, so I made up my mind to find it. I found "my" church and took a couple pictures, and then started weaving my way through the city.
I ventured into a couple of shops selling local products. Not exactly tourist traps, exactly. Instead of post cards and magnets, they sold things like dried mushrooms, licorice, grappa (duh), and cherry sauce. Oh, Italy, how I love thee. I noticed several gelaterias, a creperia, and some interesting-lookiing antique shops, too, but didn't venture into any of them. (Well, that's not entirely true. I did have gelato, but only AFTER lunch. More on that in a second.) Eventually I found the covered bridge, and stopped to take a few pictures. They call it the Alpine Bridge, and it was designed by Palladio in the 1500s. (That's two Palladio bridges I have personally travelled over!) There's a museum, but it's closed on Mondays, and a tavern that's supposedly been open as long as the bridge has been. I did learn the original bridge burned in the 1700s, but it was rebuilt according to the same design. Supposedly the town was settled in the 2nd centure BC, but there's evidence suggesting people inhabited the area even hundreds of years earlier than that. Wikipedia, yo. I crossed the bridge and walked a block or two upriver for more pictures, then came back. I noticed lots of people sitting outside at a few bars and restaurants, and settled on a Bar & Bruschetteria for lunch. Can we all just stop and take a moment to appreciate the fact that I live in a place that has such things as bruschetterias, gelaterias, and creperias?? It looked like some locals were at the Bruschetteria at the foot of the bridge, or at least people familiar enough with the area to be drinking Spritzes. (3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol (Italian aperitif like Campari, but milder), splash of soda over ice and garnished with a slice of orange) When in doubt, eat where the locals are eating.
Y'all. That was the best bruschetta of my LIFE. I do not exaggerate. Parma ham, mozzarella, Asiago, artichoke hearts, and truffle oil. Another side note: Asiago is about 45 miles away and Parma is about 100 miles away. I think there will be some cheese and ham tasting in my future. But did I mention the bruschetta was amazing? And by the way, bruschetta here is not served like what we think of in the States. It's not served on crunchy little melba toasts, but instead on bread that has a texture more similar to french bread. Like garlic bread times a thousand.
After partaking of my wonderful bruschetta, I crossed the Alpine bridge again and got a chocolate gelato, and proceeded to wander for a few minutes more. Eventually I made my way back to the cemetery, which was remarkably well-kept. I did walk through it, and was impressed by the variety of gravemarkers. The oldest one I saw was from the 1960s, but I didn't walk all the way through the place, just up one side and back. Maybe I'm weird, but I like walking through graveyards. It was about 1:30 at this point and I decided to head home. I could see the castle, but didn't really feel like finding it. Lots of places in Italy are closed on Mondays, and I was in riposo period by then anyway. I had to save something to do for when I go back!
(You can see the castle in the background. And yes, I took this picture with my iPhone!)
Not too shabby for an impromptu trip! Bassano is a scenic little town and good for wandering. I recommend it, if for nothing else than the bruschetta.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Electrifying
Most of my adventures lately have been powerful experiences. Electrifying. I get a surge of adrenaline just thinking about it. In fact, I light up like a Christmas tree.
Not.
Most of my adventures lately have involved going downstairs to flip the breaker after our power trips offline. And then going back upstairs. And then back downstairs. You see where I'm going with this, don't you? We had this issue last Saturday evening/Sunday morning, and then everything seemed to go back to normal. And then Tuesday when I got back from volunteering at the Red Cross office, the power was out. And then every two minutes after that it tripped off again. Sometimes I wouldn't even make it back upstairs before it tripped. We weren't running the air conditioners, neither of the televisions were on, nothing doing with the computers or any big power users. The only thing we could figure was something to do with the horrible weather - torrential downpour.
The housing office called our landlord, and arranged for him to come out with a maintenance guy to do some trouble-shooting. They were very responsive, but after two hours -of no rain - couldn't figure it out. When Tony got home from work they started trouble-shooting our transformers, of which we have four. After repeatedly unplugging and plugging in the largest transformer, which is downstairs with the entertainment center, which caused the power to trip multiple times, they told us the transformer wasn't working. We were a little skeptical, but at the same time relieved to have an answer. And there did seem to be a direct connection (see what I did there?) even though that transformer had been turned off all afternoon and the power tripped off 3-4 times while it was off. So everybody smiled and shook hands and went their own merry ways.
An hour later, while we were sitting on the couch watching an episode of House, the power tripped.
Arrrrrgh.
It proceeded to turn off again 4 times in the night and twice more in the morning. And then...nothing. And hey, guess what, that transformer was still unplugged! And the only thing we can think is that there must be a ground or short somewhere that is affected by the weather, reducing available power to our house. The handyman was supposed to come back this morning, but I waived him off because we made it the entire night without any issues and because the sun is out today. I highly doubt he'll be able to recreate the problem or do anything different than last time. Considering he didn't find the problem last time, it's unlikely he would find the real issue this time. So...fingers crossed that it was a fluke, I guess? That it stays a dry winter? Or else that we get a couple solid days of rain triggering the power outages and the handyman can come back when it's a more consistent issue.
*sigh*
Yep, real adventures over here.
Not.
Most of my adventures lately have involved going downstairs to flip the breaker after our power trips offline. And then going back upstairs. And then back downstairs. You see where I'm going with this, don't you? We had this issue last Saturday evening/Sunday morning, and then everything seemed to go back to normal. And then Tuesday when I got back from volunteering at the Red Cross office, the power was out. And then every two minutes after that it tripped off again. Sometimes I wouldn't even make it back upstairs before it tripped. We weren't running the air conditioners, neither of the televisions were on, nothing doing with the computers or any big power users. The only thing we could figure was something to do with the horrible weather - torrential downpour.
The housing office called our landlord, and arranged for him to come out with a maintenance guy to do some trouble-shooting. They were very responsive, but after two hours -of no rain - couldn't figure it out. When Tony got home from work they started trouble-shooting our transformers, of which we have four. After repeatedly unplugging and plugging in the largest transformer, which is downstairs with the entertainment center, which caused the power to trip multiple times, they told us the transformer wasn't working. We were a little skeptical, but at the same time relieved to have an answer. And there did seem to be a direct connection (see what I did there?) even though that transformer had been turned off all afternoon and the power tripped off 3-4 times while it was off. So everybody smiled and shook hands and went their own merry ways.
An hour later, while we were sitting on the couch watching an episode of House, the power tripped.
Arrrrrgh.
It proceeded to turn off again 4 times in the night and twice more in the morning. And then...nothing. And hey, guess what, that transformer was still unplugged! And the only thing we can think is that there must be a ground or short somewhere that is affected by the weather, reducing available power to our house. The handyman was supposed to come back this morning, but I waived him off because we made it the entire night without any issues and because the sun is out today. I highly doubt he'll be able to recreate the problem or do anything different than last time. Considering he didn't find the problem last time, it's unlikely he would find the real issue this time. So...fingers crossed that it was a fluke, I guess? That it stays a dry winter? Or else that we get a couple solid days of rain triggering the power outages and the handyman can come back when it's a more consistent issue.
*sigh*
Yep, real adventures over here.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Alpine Adventure
Last weekend I did TWO things I never in a million years thought I would do: ride a luge and "hike" across Tibetan suspension bridges. In the Alps. Wait, whaaat? For those of you who follow along with me on Facebook, you probably already saw the eleventy-million pictures I posted, so this may not be a surprise to you. I didn't talk about it ahead of time because I was afraid something would happen at the last minute to prevent us from going (sickness, weather, Army change of plans, etc) or that we'd get there and it would be completely lame and I'd be ashamed to brag about it.
But no, it happened, and I am going to brag away. We are completely badass.
We went with some friends, Fay and Shane, who were kind enough to drive. We stayed at the Anova Hotel & Spa in Montgenevre, France, which is juuuust over the border from Italy. Less than a mile, I'm pretty sure. We stopped on the way for a very classy parking lot picnic, wherein we ate a lot of fruit and cheese and crackers, and I particularly enjoyed looking at all the vineyards and castles we passed, and traveling through some Alpine tunnels. The drive wasn't bad, though it was about 4-5 hours and cost 40 Euro in tolls. Anyway, Anova was a very nice hotel, especially for the price we paid. However, we are quickly learning that hotels here tag on all sorts of extra fees for things that would normally be included in the cost of a hotel stay in the States. So, sadly, we did not take advantage of the Spa, but I'm not too broken up about that. Each room had a deck balcony with a fantastic view, and we spent a lot of time hanging out with Fay and Shane on their deck. Tony smoked his first pipe, and I got to lean back and just enjoy the view. OF THE MOUNTAINS, YOU DIRTY-MINDED PEOPLE. We left our home around 10:30 in the morning, so arrived in the afternoon. Once we got settled in the hotel, we walked around Montgenevre, which is quite a small town. It reminded me a lot of Vail, Colorado, mostly because it is a very distinctly ski town. I bet that place is booming in the winter! I read somewhere that it has 100km of ski trails, and through the lift network you can access even more trails than that in other nearby towns. We ate dinner outdoors in the little square after listening to a jazz group play live music.
Tony noticed a tiny picture on the back of one of the hotel pamphlets included in our welcome packet, and we started asking around. It turns out you can take a gondola ride up the mountain and ride a luge back down. I don't know much about winter sports or terminology, but this was not what I think of when I think of a luge. Anyway, we talked about it as a group and agreed that if it was 25 Euro or less, we would do it. Sunday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and checked out, and Tony hit up the Tourist Information Center to find out about this mysterious luge. Turns out it was only 8.30 Euro! So we parked the car and walked to the ticket office. We stood in line behind two families buying their tickets and it took FOREVER. (Say that in your head like they say it in The Sandlot.) I don't know why it was so complicated for them, because it took us less than a minute for the entire transaction. Maybe because they had to measure their children, I don't know. Kids 1.2 meters and taller could ride alone, and kids smaller than that had to ride in a kid safety seat in their parent's lap. I figured if babies could do it, I could do it. With my purse. HA! I put my purse between my legs and wrapped the handles around one of my arms, and I am very glad I did, otherwise it would have gone flying down the mountain on a steep turn. The luge was about 1400 meters long and supposedly descended over 300m vertically, and you could control your speed somewhat with a lever in front of you. I only slowed down once, I am pleased to say. :) Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and a nice little discovery! Here's Tony after flying through the last tunnel toward the finish line:
And here is photographic evidence that I, too, took the Monty Express:
After that, we hopped in the car and Shane drove us the 2km down the road to the Tibetan bridges. They had their dog with them, a sweet Poodle-Maltese mix named Lolly, and there was some debate about what to do with her while we completed the experience. In the end, the bridge folks agreed that she could go if she stayed in Fay's backpack, and Fay was a trooper! Lolly is now the first dog to traverse those bridges, which happen to be the longest Tibetan suspension bridges in the world!
We got all togged out in our gear, which was basically a harness with two carabiners, and got a quick 5-minute lesson on how to use the carabiners and move them along the cables properly. After that, we set off on a short hike, about ten minutes, to the start. We got an amazing overview of some of the bridges, passed by a little chapel, and descended basically a mountain goat trail. Very scenic, and Lolly completed that portion of the hike all by herself before going into the backpack. Turns out you can also hike UNDER the bridges, along a stream, which we noticed when we saw a lady down there taking pictures...of her idiot husband and children, who started at the end and went backwards along the route with inadequate safety gear, and then lied to the guide about "not seeing signs" when they started. All to avoid the entry fee. I say again, IDIOTS. So we had to wait forever for those ding dongs to cross to our end before starting, which was annoying but actually turned out to be a blessing as we had huge stretches of bridge all to ourselves. (We later found out one of the guides at the starting location escorted the family to the entry and made them pay. Good!) I went first, and after the first step or two, I felt very confident. Tony started next, and the bridge got a little more wobbly once we were both on it, but it wasn't too bad. The rungs were like ladder rungs, so plenty sufficient for a foot to stand on it. We crossed the stream and then made a 90-degree turn onto more bridges which paralleled it to a waterfall. I lost track of how many bridges there were, but I did take time to stop and enjoy the view and take pictures. I'll admit, the first time I took both hands off the railing was a bit nerve-wracking, but I survived. I tried not to do that too often ("one hand for myself, one for the ship" played in my head over and over, along with "maintain three points of contact." Thanks, USCGC EAGLE!) but I was able to get some really fun photos along the way. I was able to handle most of the transitions with ease, but the transition from the first bridge to the second was a little odd. We had to climb via ferrata spikes and cross a short 15-foot bridge, which somehow tripped my brain a little bit. After that though, I was golden.
I hung out at the waterfall and waited for the rest of the group to catch up. At that point, I gave Tony my camera and went back out halfway across one of the bridges so he could get a few pictures of me as well. We completed the last section, which included a hike and the tallest bridge, as a group. This time I brought up the rear, and was able to get my favorite foot picture ever! I always think of my Connecticut sponsor family when I take foot pictures to prove that I was in a certain place. (Hi, Herods!) The entry fee to the bridges is 10 Euro, and it's 5 Euro extra to rent the gear. I thought they could EASILY charge three times that and people would still have a fantastic experience worth that price, and I would happily go back if any future visitors are interested in going. Unfortunately, because of the weather (you know, it's in the ALPS and all) the bridges are only open from May to September, so we hit it up at the perfect time of year. It was an adventure well worth the trek.
I don't know why this loaded 90 degrees off. And I can't figure out how to fix it. So, feel free to use your imagination!
But no, it happened, and I am going to brag away. We are completely badass.
We went with some friends, Fay and Shane, who were kind enough to drive. We stayed at the Anova Hotel & Spa in Montgenevre, France, which is juuuust over the border from Italy. Less than a mile, I'm pretty sure. We stopped on the way for a very classy parking lot picnic, wherein we ate a lot of fruit and cheese and crackers, and I particularly enjoyed looking at all the vineyards and castles we passed, and traveling through some Alpine tunnels. The drive wasn't bad, though it was about 4-5 hours and cost 40 Euro in tolls. Anyway, Anova was a very nice hotel, especially for the price we paid. However, we are quickly learning that hotels here tag on all sorts of extra fees for things that would normally be included in the cost of a hotel stay in the States. So, sadly, we did not take advantage of the Spa, but I'm not too broken up about that. Each room had a deck balcony with a fantastic view, and we spent a lot of time hanging out with Fay and Shane on their deck. Tony smoked his first pipe, and I got to lean back and just enjoy the view. OF THE MOUNTAINS, YOU DIRTY-MINDED PEOPLE. We left our home around 10:30 in the morning, so arrived in the afternoon. Once we got settled in the hotel, we walked around Montgenevre, which is quite a small town. It reminded me a lot of Vail, Colorado, mostly because it is a very distinctly ski town. I bet that place is booming in the winter! I read somewhere that it has 100km of ski trails, and through the lift network you can access even more trails than that in other nearby towns. We ate dinner outdoors in the little square after listening to a jazz group play live music.
Tony noticed a tiny picture on the back of one of the hotel pamphlets included in our welcome packet, and we started asking around. It turns out you can take a gondola ride up the mountain and ride a luge back down. I don't know much about winter sports or terminology, but this was not what I think of when I think of a luge. Anyway, we talked about it as a group and agreed that if it was 25 Euro or less, we would do it. Sunday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and checked out, and Tony hit up the Tourist Information Center to find out about this mysterious luge. Turns out it was only 8.30 Euro! So we parked the car and walked to the ticket office. We stood in line behind two families buying their tickets and it took FOREVER. (Say that in your head like they say it in The Sandlot.) I don't know why it was so complicated for them, because it took us less than a minute for the entire transaction. Maybe because they had to measure their children, I don't know. Kids 1.2 meters and taller could ride alone, and kids smaller than that had to ride in a kid safety seat in their parent's lap. I figured if babies could do it, I could do it. With my purse. HA! I put my purse between my legs and wrapped the handles around one of my arms, and I am very glad I did, otherwise it would have gone flying down the mountain on a steep turn. The luge was about 1400 meters long and supposedly descended over 300m vertically, and you could control your speed somewhat with a lever in front of you. I only slowed down once, I am pleased to say. :) Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and a nice little discovery! Here's Tony after flying through the last tunnel toward the finish line:
And here is photographic evidence that I, too, took the Monty Express:
After that, we hopped in the car and Shane drove us the 2km down the road to the Tibetan bridges. They had their dog with them, a sweet Poodle-Maltese mix named Lolly, and there was some debate about what to do with her while we completed the experience. In the end, the bridge folks agreed that she could go if she stayed in Fay's backpack, and Fay was a trooper! Lolly is now the first dog to traverse those bridges, which happen to be the longest Tibetan suspension bridges in the world!
We got all togged out in our gear, which was basically a harness with two carabiners, and got a quick 5-minute lesson on how to use the carabiners and move them along the cables properly. After that, we set off on a short hike, about ten minutes, to the start. We got an amazing overview of some of the bridges, passed by a little chapel, and descended basically a mountain goat trail. Very scenic, and Lolly completed that portion of the hike all by herself before going into the backpack. Turns out you can also hike UNDER the bridges, along a stream, which we noticed when we saw a lady down there taking pictures...of her idiot husband and children, who started at the end and went backwards along the route with inadequate safety gear, and then lied to the guide about "not seeing signs" when they started. All to avoid the entry fee. I say again, IDIOTS. So we had to wait forever for those ding dongs to cross to our end before starting, which was annoying but actually turned out to be a blessing as we had huge stretches of bridge all to ourselves. (We later found out one of the guides at the starting location escorted the family to the entry and made them pay. Good!) I went first, and after the first step or two, I felt very confident. Tony started next, and the bridge got a little more wobbly once we were both on it, but it wasn't too bad. The rungs were like ladder rungs, so plenty sufficient for a foot to stand on it. We crossed the stream and then made a 90-degree turn onto more bridges which paralleled it to a waterfall. I lost track of how many bridges there were, but I did take time to stop and enjoy the view and take pictures. I'll admit, the first time I took both hands off the railing was a bit nerve-wracking, but I survived. I tried not to do that too often ("one hand for myself, one for the ship" played in my head over and over, along with "maintain three points of contact." Thanks, USCGC EAGLE!) but I was able to get some really fun photos along the way. I was able to handle most of the transitions with ease, but the transition from the first bridge to the second was a little odd. We had to climb via ferrata spikes and cross a short 15-foot bridge, which somehow tripped my brain a little bit. After that though, I was golden.
I hung out at the waterfall and waited for the rest of the group to catch up. At that point, I gave Tony my camera and went back out halfway across one of the bridges so he could get a few pictures of me as well. We completed the last section, which included a hike and the tallest bridge, as a group. This time I brought up the rear, and was able to get my favorite foot picture ever! I always think of my Connecticut sponsor family when I take foot pictures to prove that I was in a certain place. (Hi, Herods!) The entry fee to the bridges is 10 Euro, and it's 5 Euro extra to rent the gear. I thought they could EASILY charge three times that and people would still have a fantastic experience worth that price, and I would happily go back if any future visitors are interested in going. Unfortunately, because of the weather (you know, it's in the ALPS and all) the bridges are only open from May to September, so we hit it up at the perfect time of year. It was an adventure well worth the trek.
I don't know why this loaded 90 degrees off. And I can't figure out how to fix it. So, feel free to use your imagination!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Verona Opera
Until last week, we hadn't ventured to Verona yet, even though it's less than an hour away. Now, I can't wait to go back! Tony's leave expired on a Wednesday night, but he planned it so well he only had to work on Thursday before a four-day weekend. Cha-ching! I really wanted to visit the Verona Arena and see an opera, and had a hard time deciding between Carmen and Aida. Ultimately I bought tickets to Carmen for Thursday night, because I figured it would be a great show for a newby, with its gypsies and familiar music. It's not playing at next year's Opera Festival, but Aida is. Hedging my bets in case I don't get another chance to go this year, Carmen was the winner. I think Aida is staged nearly every year at the Arena, a tradition since the Opera Festival began in 1913.
The Arena is one of the best preserved Roman ampitheaters, and now that I've seen it first-hand I think it is simply astounding. It seats up to 25,000 people (though we were packed in so tightly I'd believe it could hold half again as many, honestly) and I don' t believe there's a bad seat in the house. Apparently it was built of limestone in AD 30, though much of it has been rebuilt after earthquakes and it's slightly smaller than it used to be. Of course for operas, one end is used as the stage and the seats behind that area are blocked off, but even still, we shared the experience with many thousands of people. The staging was fairly simple, as there aren't any true backstage areas, but that didn't stop the production from being magnificent. I'm pretty sure there were 200 performers - plus dozens of live animals -on stage during many parts of the show, and it was never distracting. And I couldn't believe the acoustics! Just, wow.
Anyway, the show started at 8:45, since sunset was close to 9pm. We left home about 7:15 or 7:30 and made it to the parking garage with plenty of time to spare, even after a couple of wrong turns. Let me tell you, that garage is nerve-wracking though. The Honda Accord felt gigantic going around the corkscrew turns, but we found a spot and fit in it just fine. It was a short walk to the Arena from there, and we passed many of the set pieces for Aida, as well as singers getting ready and all of the horses and donkeys that were in the show. Some of the old entrance tunnels were made over as green rooms and prop storage areas, and it was neat to see those spaces as we walked past.
Getting into the Arena was kind of a chore. We found our numbered gate and entered the throng of people slowly making way upstairs. It was hot, crowded, smelly, and full of rude tourists. When we made it to the seating area, our "designated" area was full so we had to go over a section or two. Next time, we will definitely splurge for numbered seats. We ended up sitting on the stone benches with people crammed against our knees and backs. I had every intention of bringing pillows and blankets, but somehow left home without those AND without my binoculars, though fortunately I remembered water. Did I mention it was hot? Probably about 80 degrees, plus we were packed in tightly with everyone else. Many people brought snacks and wine, so I'm going to remember that for next time.Once the sun set, we got a little bit of a breeze, but it was still very uncomfortable. I had to shift my weight every few minutes to keep my butt from going to sleep on the stone, and I desperately wanted to kick the German asshole sitting in front of me who wanted to use my knees as a backrest. Still, it was worth it. They took an intermission after every act that was at least 20 minutes long, so it was a very long show. We didn't stay until the end because our backs were hurting, but kudos to all the people who did! I'm sure I will get a chance to go back one day. Verona seemed to be a beautiful and interesting city, and I would definitely like to spend some more time there in the near future, even if it's not for an opera.
That last picture is from travelersdigest.com and the second-to-last is from 2venice.it. All the others are mine.
The Arena is one of the best preserved Roman ampitheaters, and now that I've seen it first-hand I think it is simply astounding. It seats up to 25,000 people (though we were packed in so tightly I'd believe it could hold half again as many, honestly) and I don' t believe there's a bad seat in the house. Apparently it was built of limestone in AD 30, though much of it has been rebuilt after earthquakes and it's slightly smaller than it used to be. Of course for operas, one end is used as the stage and the seats behind that area are blocked off, but even still, we shared the experience with many thousands of people. The staging was fairly simple, as there aren't any true backstage areas, but that didn't stop the production from being magnificent. I'm pretty sure there were 200 performers - plus dozens of live animals -on stage during many parts of the show, and it was never distracting. And I couldn't believe the acoustics! Just, wow.
Anyway, the show started at 8:45, since sunset was close to 9pm. We left home about 7:15 or 7:30 and made it to the parking garage with plenty of time to spare, even after a couple of wrong turns. Let me tell you, that garage is nerve-wracking though. The Honda Accord felt gigantic going around the corkscrew turns, but we found a spot and fit in it just fine. It was a short walk to the Arena from there, and we passed many of the set pieces for Aida, as well as singers getting ready and all of the horses and donkeys that were in the show. Some of the old entrance tunnels were made over as green rooms and prop storage areas, and it was neat to see those spaces as we walked past.
Getting into the Arena was kind of a chore. We found our numbered gate and entered the throng of people slowly making way upstairs. It was hot, crowded, smelly, and full of rude tourists. When we made it to the seating area, our "designated" area was full so we had to go over a section or two. Next time, we will definitely splurge for numbered seats. We ended up sitting on the stone benches with people crammed against our knees and backs. I had every intention of bringing pillows and blankets, but somehow left home without those AND without my binoculars, though fortunately I remembered water. Did I mention it was hot? Probably about 80 degrees, plus we were packed in tightly with everyone else. Many people brought snacks and wine, so I'm going to remember that for next time.Once the sun set, we got a little bit of a breeze, but it was still very uncomfortable. I had to shift my weight every few minutes to keep my butt from going to sleep on the stone, and I desperately wanted to kick the German asshole sitting in front of me who wanted to use my knees as a backrest. Still, it was worth it. They took an intermission after every act that was at least 20 minutes long, so it was a very long show. We didn't stay until the end because our backs were hurting, but kudos to all the people who did! I'm sure I will get a chance to go back one day. Verona seemed to be a beautiful and interesting city, and I would definitely like to spend some more time there in the near future, even if it's not for an opera.
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