All posts tagged Travel in Europe

Scotland – Eating and Hiking Edition

When we travel overseas, we like to get outside, breathe in some fresh air, and take a little walk as soon as possible to help us get on the time zone. This trip had us landing in Edinburgh and then driving a little more than an hour to St Andrews on our first day. Since we flew overnight, that meant that it felt like six in the morning when we dragged our sleepy bodies off the plane.

But, it was 11 am on a Saturday morning and that was the perfect time to take a walk and find lunch in Edinburgh before getting in the car for a drive. We ate along The Royal Mile at a barbeque place called Oink Hog Roast, which had been featured in a travel show Dacia had seen.

It was here that a kind young lady behind the counter allowed me to have a wee taste of haggis – my first and last. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and by that I mean how much I would dislike haggis. It took one bite for me to know I disliked it completely. Maybe if they had come up with a more beckoning name, but a rose by any other name would smell so sweet, or taste so gross. I wasn’t very hungry, so I opted out of the grunter and oink portion sizes and just ordered the piglet. Warning: they don’t believe in sauces like we do here, so it was dry but edible. Thus went our first Scottish meal.

Piglets and crisps

Now it was time to walk it off and what better place to do that than Arthur’s Seat? It’s part of an ancient volcanic area near the city center. As we were approaching the hiking trails, following a short distance behind our son and his family, I was reminded that I was not in Florida anymore. These were proper hills.

We saw our son ask which trail they should take and up they headed. When we reached the person of whom they had inquired, I said, “I saw you point our son in that direction. Look at us. Which way should we go?”

“You may want to take that route over there. They all end up in the same place, so you’re good,” he kindly replied. I love the Scottish people!

Bob and I set out on what by now we realized was not a walk but a hike. That was our first mistake of the trip. Bob had days of golfing ahead of him and I am not exactly in fighting shape, but off we went up the hill. It was a lesser incline than the one our son took, but it would do me in.

That didn’t register with me while walking because I was so taken in by the spectacular views. Plus, when I travel, I get this weird energy/adrenaline which will circumvent my otherwise extremely logical mind, and I will push myself without even knowing that I am. Later I will realize it, and it will be too late, but most of the time, it will have been worth it.

Winston loves to find a high spot and enjoy the view.

Every time I’d think we were near the top, up we’d go again. It was so pretty I barely noticed my knees shaking.

A summer day in Scotland

As we drove out of Edinburgh, we passed the castle up on the hill. We also spotted groups of crazed Swifties dressed in pink and other regalia in anticipation of her concert which would be that evening. We got out of there just in time!

St Andrews was sleepy compared to Edinburgh, and that was fine with us.

We dined that Saturday night at Hams Hame across from the Old Course. The food was good, but the names of the dishes were even better. Where else can you find Tex Mex nachos and haggis bon-bons on the same menu?

After dinner we strolled around the town enjoying the beautiful ruins of St Andrews Cathedral and St Andrews Castle. St Andrews was the center of religious power in Scotland in the 1500s. At that time religious leaders Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox were challenging the way people worshipped. This was the change from Catholic to Protestant beliefs, so this area is a part of the Reformation history. Scotland became a protestant country in 1560.

Cathedral ruins

Castle ruins

A violent and sobering part of Christian church history

On Sunday while the guys were golfing, Dacia, my daughter-in-law, and I trekked along the edge of the North Sea at St Andrews Bay.

I love the walls in the UK. On the right is a golf course. On the left is the North Sea.

After golf, we all enjoyed a traditional Sunday pub roast in downtown St Andrews at a restaurant called Forgan’s.

That was a highlight, but it is overshadowed by Jannettas Gelateria. St Andrews is a small town so all roads could lead to Jannettas, which they did for us two or three times. This was the best gelato west of Siena – better than some I had in Tuscany and that is really saying something considering we were just there in April!

They had the oft difficult to find banana gelato – my favorite. Slainte Mhath (cheers)!

St Andrews sunset from our hotel – approximately 9:45 PM. Good night sun.

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by Bonnie Anderson on July 19, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Family, The United Kingdom, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on July 19, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/07/19/scotland-eating-and-hiking-edition/

Cold, and Snow, and Rain – Oh, My! (Europe Post #7)

They know how to do coffee shops and bakeries in Europe. Our first full day in Lucerne had us fortifying ourselves before our bus trip first to Interlaken and then farther up the mountain to Grindelwald.

Grindelwald, at an elevation of almost 3400 feet, is where winter and spring fought for dominance. It seemed to me that winter was winning, so this was the day that I donned the most layers of apparel. I wore a t-shirt, covered by a pull-over sweater, covered by a warm blazer, and topped off with a down jacket. My wool socks and soccer-fan beanie hat from Como, plus recently purchased gloves made the outside bearable. For a short time. The date was April 23.

Grindelwald was beautiful. I braved the cold instead of viewing winter from the vantage point that I prefer – inside! We were snowed upon while there. It seemed best to forego eating al fresco.

We made new friends. I assume this guy had frozen to death – the one on the left. Bob is shivering on the right.

Interlaken, at 1873 ft of elevation, was more of a 50/50 split between winter and spring. The rain made it feel cooler, but we still wandered the streets and enjoyed the flowers.

The wisteria alone was worth the walk.

I’m not a fan of mushrooms, but when combined with gnomes it’s a pretty cute addition to a garden.

Interlaken had more to offer than flowers. This is such a clever lending library (translates to Open Bookcase). You can take a book (nimm ein buch) or bring a book.

The perfect way to warm up before the bus ride down the mountain – hot chocolate, Swiss style!

Goodbye snow and conflicting weather.

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by Bonnie Anderson on June 6, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Travel, weather
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on June 6, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/06/06/cold-and-snow-and-rain-oh-my-europe-post-7/

Switzerland

Traveling on a train is the epitome of why digital photos are better than that old 35mm film. I will spare you the entire contents of my album “Bad Pictures Through Train Windows.” It is an extensive collection that reminds me to be in the moment rather than try to capture the moment. Life is a blur, especially on a train.

There are a few shots that are worthy of sharing, for instance my friend, Debi (with Tom), also attempting to capture the moment through her train window as we left Italy and entered Switzerland. It’s a compulsion when surrounded by beauty; but especially when winter invades your springtime trip and when you’re from Florida where winter would be a warm day compared to what we were currently experiencing.

I loved every minute of the trip. The trains were very comfortable, perhaps that had something to do with riding first class. (Thanks, Bob.) After driving the roads of Tuscany for five days, we all enjoyed leaving the driving to somebody else.

Lucerne, our first destination in Switzerland, was adorable. Our hotel especially typified what I thought a Swiss hotel should look like.

Wilden Mann translates to wild husband, so we found the right place. There’s nothing quite as wild as four retired husbands traveling through Europe with their wives. You can decide if that is sarcasm or a hidden truth.

Cozy, warm hotel lobby

After settling in, food was the first order of business. This is traditional Swiss food – macaroni and cheese with a side of applesauce. I ordered it as it was easy. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure that one out. In this part of Switzerland, German is widely spoken. The applesauce was a weird accompaniment.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, we hit the streets. When our group first considered Lucerne as a destination, Ann, one of the primary planners of the trip, had shared that there was an old, covered wooden footbridge worth seeing in Lucerne. She had to endure the teasing that followed her suggestion that we go see an old footbridge. Initially we did not think that an old bridge would be a main attraction, but we were wrong.

The Kapellbrucke (chapel bridge) crosses the Reuss River and if we had wanted to avoid crossing it, that would have been difficult. I had wondered if it would be hard to find, but we rounded a corner and there it was in all its old glory (not to be confused with Old Glory).

The bridge has triangular-shaped paintings set under the trusses along the ceiling of the bridge. These date back to the 17th century. This is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe and the world’s oldest truss bridge. It also is the symbol of the city of Lucerne, so it’s a big deal.

There are also lovely views along the way. It’s worth noting that the bridge on which we stood had been crossed by more generations of people than my math skills could calculate. Like I’ve said before, they know how to do old in Europe.

This is my favorite view of the river.

Lucerne offers great breakfasts. This is traditional Swiss breakfast. The bread was soft and fresh. The fruit and cheese were yummy, but the meats reminded me of the lunch meat I grew up on – a little fatty. I was surprised to get fresh orange juice – just like home!

The pharmacy near our hotel felt like stepping back in time.

We walked through the city to visit the Lion Monument. The Monument, which is in a lovely English garden, was unveiled in 1821. It was designed in Rome and carved in the rock face at its present location. It stands in commemoration of the events in Paris in August 1792 where an angry throng stormed the Tuileries and killed hundreds of Swiss guardsmen who were serving King Louis XVI.

Regardless of political views, the artwork is to be admired. The way it’s situated in the garden drew Bob and I to slow down, sit, and enjoy this beautiful spot. A bonus was listening to the local birds and identifying them on our Merlin Bird ID app. (A little bird watching is always in order.) It took 23 months to carve the lion. The expression on his face reflected the anguish of the Swiss people.

Lucerne is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Look at these pictures and see if you don’t agree.

Five out of six people really like fondue and it’s a must in Switzerland.

Debi was pretty excited.

I enjoyed potato and leek soup.

The view from the restaurant. Also, a birding opportunity. (The one that got away.)

Side-stepping to Zurich for a moment – Bob and I ventured up many steps for a view from the old town. While there I made friends with some ducks. (This is an updated post because the next 3 photos are actually in Zurich, and while you readers may not care, I’m fixing it for my future sanity.)

Zurich

Zurich

He quacked me up, also in Zurich.

Since I ate a light lunch (in Lucerne – sorry for bouncing around), it was time to eat again. Oh, boy! Ravioli all kinds of ways with a light buttery sauce.

These were my choices.

Ravioli’s reputation has skyrocketed for me since discovering how it should be done.

At the end of the day, I started missing some of the comforts of home – like being able to wash my feet in the shower.

We’ll go home soon enough. Next time I’ll take you on a side trip up the Swiss mountains.

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by Bonnie Anderson on May 30, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Birding, Europe, Travel, weather
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 30, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/30/switzerland/

Cold in Como

Our first day in Como was cold (by Florida standards for sure) and add to that a 25mph wind; and we decided to forego boating on beautiful Lake Como. Too choppy, too chilly! The best option for us was taking the funicular up the side of the steep hill to Brunate, a lovely Italian village.

The funicular was completed in 1894. Since spending time in Europe, that didn’t even seem old anymore. On exiting the funicular, we were treated to lovely views. My breath was taken away by the view of the Alps, but the surroundings we were standing in were lovely as well. This was Brunate.

Hotel in Brunate

The beautiful, blue sky was compensation for the cold temperatures, though I did check the shop for a beanie style hat to keep my ears warm. It was to no avail as it was supposed to be spring. This was not the first time that I had inquired as to the normalcy of the winter-like temperatures. And this was not the first time that I was told there is a saying in Italy – “April does what it wants!” No worries, I would be warm again when I got back to Florida.

There was a man making bracelets set up in an out-of-the-way booth. He told me the bracelets were made of Murano glass, which he described as “important” to Italy, particularly Venice. He also was selling lace doilies. These he described as important as well, especially since his mother made them. It’s a treat to chat with local people and hear them talk about their country. I love the way the Italians use the word “important” to describe things dear to their heritage.

The funicular only goes so far up the hill, but we hired a taxi/jeep to take us to the top. We figured we’d ride up and walk down, but after our ride along the steep, narrow streets, we thought better of it, a decision our knees would thank us for!

Once we got out of the jeep, there were stairs waiting for us to go to the lighthouse at the very top of the hill (note, for Floridians this is like mountain climbing).

Up, up, up we went, and we were rewarded with the best views of the Alps. Whatever breath hadn’t been taken away before, was surely gone as we feasted our eyes on the Swiss Alps.

All this fresh air and walking really stirs up an appetite. We had choices. Perhaps the Osteria Bar and Pizzeria, which was attached to a church or was that vice versa.

That was almost novel enough to have us eat there, but we opted for a place with a better view. We were glad we did. Our first course was bruschetta three ways. We order bruschetta often, both at home and abroad. This was the best we ever had. Our favorite had caramelized onions atop. Magnifica! We followed that with soup in keeping with our pursuit of warmth. Yum!

Back at sea level (or lake level), before we joined our friends for dinner and wine, I found a pop-up soccer souvenir stand and bought a beanie. My ears were grateful. Now I looked like a fan of the Italian national team. That works for me.

On Sunday some of us ventured out to church. I wasn’t sure I wanted to, because a service in a language I could not understand didn’t sound worthy of rising early. Let me tell you, though, you never know what you may experience, and this was worth it. Danny, who is also the founding pastor of our church and like our other traveling companions, a friend for over 40 years, wanted to check out the churches. We split again, with some sleeping in and some of us going to the 10:00 service at the Como Duomo, at least we went for the beginning of it. Listening to the pipe organ is amazing in any language.

The previous day during a walk we had found an Evangelical church. The service there began at 10:30, so we did some church hopping. This church was modest in stature. The people were friendly and several spoke English. We were greeted warmly and every person we met was excited to introduce us to the pastor. She is originally from Germany, but she speaks English well. So well, in fact, that she preached the service in Italian and English. We weren’t sure if that was for our benefit or not, but it was very moving that she would go to the trouble.

They handed out song booklets like what we had in the church we were going to back in the 1980s and 90s. It was a joy to see some of the old songs printed in English and Italian. The church was close to Presbyterian in doctrine, and their service that day was abbreviated as they had a meeting going on after the service, so we were there on the perfect day. Gloria a Dio!

It was an afternoon of meandering around Lake Como and imagining what it would be like if it weren’t so windy! We made the best of it and totally enjoyed being immersed in Como. Our hotel was situated in Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour (piazza translates to square). We happened upon a band finishing up a concert. They were playing Beat It by Michael Jackson.

There was lots of activity in the square as the band broke down the stage, including an alley of clowns that wandered onto the scene. (Yes, that’s what a group of clowns is called. That was new to me.)

Recorded music was being played in the background and we watched as folks boogied across the square while kids kicked a soccer ball around and Danny finally got McDonalds. After a while, you need a taste of home.

We were scheduled to leave Como and go to Switzerland the next morning via train. The itinerary was Como to Lugano to Lucerne. The hotel concierge informed us that we would likely have to deal with a scheduled train strike. They have them periodically, so to the Italians it’s part of life. But for us, this was alarming. We were told that we could possibly get out before it starts but we should have an alternative plan. Start and stop times of these is precise and they would last 24 hours or so. That was not information that comforted us.

We walked to a close-by train station (not the one we would depart from) and the attendant said that our train would not be affected. She even double-checked it with the main train station and told us we should be fine. Probably because of that pesky language barrier, we weren’t completely relieved. I’d say we were about 80 percent. Total relief wouldn’t happen until the next day when we hopefully boarded our train.

The following morning, we arrived at the Como S. Giovanni Railway Station, and it appeared our trip would not be cancelled. Nearly every other trip was canceled due to the strike. We were thankful as we set out on the next chapter.

Switzerland, here we come!

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by Bonnie Anderson on May 27, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Faith, Friendship, People that I Meet, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 27, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/27/cold-in-como/

Arrivederci, Siena; Ciao, Como!

Our last day in Siena was a day of rest (and laundry). It was also a day to try out a different restaurant for lunch. We googled pizza places nearby, and I was thrilled to find one with a sense of humor. You don’t always see that on a website. This ristorante was so proud of their pizza crust that they claimed you would “go to Hell” if you didn’t eat it. Even though this challenged my theology, I was intrigued, but unfortunately the ristorante was not open – a problem I have mentioned here in the past. They keep different eating hours over there.

We did find a super cute place with a great view. I deviated from pasta and Italian meats and went straight for a steak. The word on the streets of Tuscany was you need to get a steak while you’re there. Also, when ordering, don’t attempt to tell them how you want it cooked. Apparently, they don’t like that. Leave that to the chef! It was delicious and the presentation was molto attraente (very appealing).

Other than lunchtime, we spent the entire day at our VRBO, Capanna di Elfo, which even though it translates to Elf Hut in English, we did not see any elves. We did see birds. Our friends and fellow travelers, Jim and Ann, are birders; and Jim pointed out purple martins as they flew overhead. That was new on my lifetime list, which is always exciting to me. However, the birding prize of the trip was a unique guy called a Eurasian Hoopoe. I had never heard of these, so I was thrilled.

One morning while getting ready for the day in my typical spot in our bathroom, which was by an open window which allowed for better lighting and overlooked the hill town, I heard a funny sound – like “who, who, who.” From Jim’s description, I knew this had to be him – the hoopoe, not Jim. Although Jim has a pretty fun sense of humor, so I could not be sure. When I finally went outside, I was able to spot the hoopoe. To add to that, Debi had been chasing him around the property and she took this amazing video. Thanks, Debi, for letting me post it.

We ended the day by gathering in the living room for a few moments of thankfulness to God for our trip and for our friendships. The next morning (Friday), we would say a sad goodbye to this chapter. Of the places we visited, I think Tuscany was my favorite of this trip; perhaps largely due to the accommodations we booked there. The Elf Hut was the beautiful launching pad to this exquisite region.

Bob and I woke up nervous the next morning. We had to return our rental cars in Florence and our trip two days prior was kind of a nightmare. We thought Friday traffic might be worse. Thankfully, this was not the case. There was still the getting-there part, but it was uneventful other than trying to gas up the cars, which proved complicated. We could easily gas up one, which took diesel so technically we fueled the car, but the car which Bob drove could not be filled in the same station, and there was no attendant – something we were getting accustomed to. After a short trip down the road, we filled our tank. We turned in our cars (hooray!) and walked the short distance to the train station. It was time to add trains to the planes and automobiles transportation modes of our trip.

But first, we eat. Another great Italian meal to fuel us for our trip to Como via Milan.

They’ve got the meats!

Just another cork project

Inside the Florence train station. Note the artwork above. It shows the clothing and hair movement as a result of a train passing.

I love traveling by train, but getting on the train can be stressful. We were thankful that we had traveled light. Wheeling a carry-on suitcase with a backpack strapped to the top is the way to go. We all made it safely on our first train. Addio, Firenze!

Connecting in Milan was exciting (translate stressful). We watched the boards for which platform we would board our train. It told us the train was on time, but the particular platform remained a mystery until the very last minute. We had, of course, used the restrooms while waiting, but we hadn’t thought to make our way to the center of the large Milan train station to ease our boarding process. Thus, we were very far from our indicated platform when they finally told us the one to which we needed to proceed. Right away. It was time to board.

The Milan train station was huge.

Canine traveler all gussied up. She was trembling with excitement.

Keeping eight of us together is challenging in these circumstances. As usual, Bob was in the front of our pack of travelers. I was close behind and heard him inquire as to which cars we should board to use our purchased first-class tickets. These cars were marked with a prominent #1, she told him. The first car was already packed, she informed us. We should go several cars down and get on any with the #1 on it.

At this point it was every man for himself. Six of us climbed on board about four cars back, but where were Danny and Melodye? We settled into our nice leather seats and looked around. The doors were closing. We texted and discovered our friends were slowed by rushing travelers who almost knocked them to the ground. In the kerfuffle, they lost sight of us but saw the #1 on the first car and wedged themselves in just in time. Sadly, they could not pull a Red Sea maneuver and join us in comfort. They rode the entire leg of the trip standing up like cows in a cattle car. At least we knew we would end up in Como together. It was a very mooving experience for them.

Como was touted as a favorite by everyone we knew who had visited there. We were looking forward to a boat ride on the beautiful lake and possibly visiting the much-ballyhooed Bellagio, the lovely village on the other side of the lake from where we stayed that overlooks Lake Como and was the inspiration for the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas. The cold front that came through two days earlier had us rethink our plans.

We got off the train in Como to find it breezy and chilly. We knew we had an 11-minute walk ahead of us to our hotel, but the conversion of minutes from English to Italian must have not been counted correctly as it took us approximately forever to schlep our bags along the cobblestone streets, including down a long set of stairs, mostly going in the correct direction, and finally arriving at our hotel, the Barchetta Excelsior. It was time to check in, recover a little, and find food.

We ate at a close-by pizza place, right next to McDonalds. We enjoyed a slice, some wine, and finished with limoncello.

We also found room for gelato, which we ate in the shadow of the Como Cathedral, or as is more fun to say, the Como Duomo. Officially it is (in Italian) Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, or Duomo di Como).

Thus ended our Friday. What would Saturday bring?

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by Bonnie Anderson on May 22, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Birding, Europe, Friendship, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 22, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/22/arrivederci-siena-ciao-como/

It’s Always a Good Time for Tuscany

Should one return to Tuscany on a regular basis and if so, how regular should that basis be? This is a question that I also ask myself about Hawaii. Both places are breathtakingly beautiful and are favorites of mine. To be in either place is to experience a great sense of peace and relaxation; but ironically, I get pretty doggone tired when visiting both places. Then again, Bob and I are fairly aggressive travelers, so I should clarify – tired and happy and strangely energized.

To answer the question from the beginning of this post – Yes, one should go to Tuscany on a regular basis or an irregular basis, or just once, if at all possible! That is if you’d like to experience old Italy, great food and wine, classic architecture, great food and wine, timeless art, great food and wine, beautiful rolling hills, great food and wine, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and great food and wine.

A little backstory for our most recent trip – we have traveled extensively with three other couples, all of whom we’ve enjoyed friendship with for over forty years. It has been over a decade since we have had the privilege of traveling together. When the last of our group retired at the end of 2023 and told us they were considering going to Italy, the door opened for another group trip. Actually, I’m not sure if the door opened or if we kicked it in, but either way, last month the eight of us set off for Italy and Switzerland on an adventure.

Traveling at our current “certain” age is vastly different than it was over a decade ago, even though we would have considered ourselves a “certain” age way back then. Silly us! We are now more “certain” than ever and a bit slower, too, but we managed our trip with friendships and body parts intact. That’s a win.

We chose not to check baggage as we were literally doing a planes, trains, and automobiles type of trip with four different destinations along the way. You may notice striking similarities in our luggage and backpacks as we texted each other with every detail of our trip planning. (Thanks, Amazon.) I’m not sure if it’s a thing, but it may be time to get the tires rotated on our luggage. We gave them a workout on those cobblestone streets.

Six of us began in Orlando on a Saturday morning. We connected with the other two in Charlotte, and from there we headed to Florence via Madrid. I don’t like math, but I’m guessing that it took us about a zillion hours to arrive at our VRBO in Siena. (a zillion = approximately 23, according to my engineer and numbers guy, Bob)

Siena – che bello! These sights eased our travel-weary souls!

These are the views from our VRBO in Siena. (Here is a link in case you’d like to book here yourself. I highly recommend it. https://www.vrbo.com/10788011ha)

There were a few things that were musts for us American certain-agers. First and foremost was our own bedroom with attached bathroom. The bed size must be queen or larger. They don’t designate bed sizes the same way as we do in the states, but we were able to figure it out. This VRBO in Siena checked all the boxes. It even had a washer and dryer, though one should note that a clothes dryer in Europe will likely be a rack on which to hang clothes, which was the case for us. Still, it was bene da noi (fine by us).

We started our visit with a catered dinner at our new Siena home. This was an extravagance suggested by the owner, and it paid off in spades as we were all tired and hungry. This pair of lovely Italian ladies invaded the kitchen and put out a spread worthy of a king. This included an appetizer which included home-made crackers. I didn’t know that was even a thing. Perhaps I’m easily impressed, but they were deliziosa! Home-made bread and charcuterie with fresh vegies and honey were just the beginning. Our main course was ravioli. It was the first time I had eaten it aside from Chef Boyardee. Chef Boyardee has been canned! For dessert – tiramisu. I didn’t even think I liked that, but I do!

The nighttime held a welcome of its own. The blue, blue sky framed our lovely home with warm lights emitting a special glow. The sound of a nightingale, which was a new one for me, was like a lullaby! And this lovely place to lay our weary heads and rest for the journey ahead – so special.

One of the challenges for us was adjusting to the eating times in Italy. We had coffee and breakfast in our Siena home, but for the rest of the meals, we had to wing it. Most restaurants closed around 2:30 and didn’t open again until 7:00. It seemed like we all got hungry sometime close to 2:00 and had to scramble to find someplace to eat or else wait until 7:00.

As we walked into Siena, we quickly came across an osteria, which translates – a place of serving wine and simple food. We asked if the eight of us could be seated but it was not possible. How about two tables of four? Again, no. As we turned to leave, the hostess came to us and asked if we could split into two tables and be finished eating in an hour and a half as she had reservations for that time. I told her, “No problem. We’re Americans. We excel at eating fast.”

So cozy!

The wine cellar

As we entered La Taverna di San Giuseppe, we didn’t feel like there was anything “simple” about the place. It was as inviting as a warm hug and a perfect reflection of everything Tuscan. There was a wine cellar downstairs which could be seen from our dining table. It was the perfect photo op. Bob and I ordered lasagna, something I don’t order at home. It was delicious and unlike anything I have tasted our side of the Atlantic. There was no red sauce, and the ricotta cheese was whipped as smooth as Barry White.

The outside of the restaurant was covered in Michelin plaques and the restaurant is featured in their guide, but I couldn’t figure out if it actually achieved star status, so I simply have awarded it 2 stars. After consulting with the other seven of our group and hearing rave reviews, it was the least I could do.

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by Bonnie Anderson on May 9, 2024  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Friendship, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on May 9, 2024

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2024/05/09/its-always-a-good-time-for-tuscany/

We’re On the Right Track (Europe Part 8)

 Most of the notable challenges during travel have involved trains.  Inside of the train terminals there are kiosks, which I assume you need some kind of higher education to operate.  Either that or you need to be a teenager.  Fortunately for us while we were trying to figure out our train from Salzburg to Munich, we encountered a group traveling together being led by a German teacher from Boston.  She had traveled to Germany many times and showed us the cheap tickets that allowed us to get to Munich and then have the rest of the day with free use of their transit system.  Unfortunately, she led us to believe that we could take any train.  This was not true.

This became crystal clear after we boarded our train.  Unlike every movie I have ever seen, there are not porters standing by the doors waiting to check your ticket.  You, and I mean we, are supposed to know which train we are  getting on and where our seats are on that train.  After all, it is clearly written (no it isn’t) on the signage.

We made our way from car to car and found the car with the bar.  There we discovered that we were in fact on the wrong train.  The bartender and a gentleman traveler interpreted our ticket for us.  We had boarded the fast train.  Oops.  A man who looked a lot like Dumbledore was watching us and speaking to the others in German.  It seemed he knew what he was doing and what we should do, but it did not seem like he spoke English.

After much discussion by the three men, they agreed that we should ride the train to the next stop, just five minutes away.  The bartender said, “The conductor won’t be coming by anytime soon.  Just stay on.”

Then Dumbledore spoke up in perfect English, “That is best.  Just get off at the next stop.  You will be fine.”

I knew this was the closest I would ever get to hopping a freight (even if that freight did have air conditioning, a bar and cushioned seats).  Plus we had the blessing of the bartender and Dumbledore.  We stayed on.  After all, it was only a five-minute ride.

Three minutes into the trip, guess who came through our car.  That’s right, Harry Potter.  No, the conductor.  My sister, who was facing that direction, had the color drain from her face as she whispered, “Here comes the conductor.”

I assured my co-conspirators that I would not implicate them.  As the conductor passed us, the bartender and I exchanged a look.  I mimed biting my fingernails.  Dumbledore gave me the thumbs up.

We pulled up almost to the station and sat for ten minutes.  There was discussion as to whether or not we should make a run for it, but we were cool.

As we disembarked, the train we were supposed to be on pulled up.  I looked back at our first train and there was Dumbledore, pointing us in the right direction and giving us a thumbs up.  And then he disappeared.  Okay, his train pulled away.  It was magic.

The Right Train

The Right Train

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by Bonnie Anderson on April 26, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Stuff I Go Through, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 26, 2015

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2015/04/26/were-on-the-right-track-europe-part-8/

Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh (Europe Part 6)

Here is a perfect example of you cannot judge a book by its cover.  Or, in this case, you cannot judge a hill town by how it looks from the outside.

As we approached our resort, we rounded a bend and saw this view.

All four of us exclaimed in unison, “oh my gosh, oh my gosh.”  It was magnificent, towering in front of us beckoning us to come in.

When the day arrived for us to visit the Oh My Gosh (as we like to call it), we were shocked. It’s actually in the town San Casciano de Bagni.  Today it is a medieval ghost town.  Amazing on the outside and deserted on the inside.  We still enjoyed the view immensely but it was surprising.  I guess that’s why Rick Steves does not mention it in his guidebooks.   Oh, Rick, we are sorry we deviated from your guidance. It won’t happen again.

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by Bonnie Anderson on April 18, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 18, 2015

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2015/04/18/oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-europe-part-6/

Florence – Why Don’t we Call You Firenze?  (Europe Part 5)

I cannot figure out why we call some cities by their native name and others by the English/American version.  For instance, Rome vs Roma, Florence vs Firenze, Munich vs Munchen.  I have decided not to contemplate this too much because I am on vacation, but I will say it is much more fun to say Roma, Munchen and Firenze.

Speaking of Firenze, that was our destination today.  Florence had the hustle and bustle going from the minute we turned onto its streets.  Cars stacked up at intersections and motorcycles darted in between them in spaces thinner than a pepperoni.  It was unnerving but totally worth every nail that was bitten off during the drive.

Seeing the Statue of David by Michelangelo would be reason enough to go to this city. He was magnificent.  At 17 feet tall, he literally was head and shoulders above all the other statues in the corridor.

 He was not the only attraction in his area, though surely he was the main attraction.  Michelangelo also had a hall lined with his Statuas Incompiuta (Unfinished Statues).  According to Michelangelo, the figures were already in the stone just waiting to emerge as he sculpted.  They were fascinating.

  

 And, of course, there is a duomo in Florence.  As we left the city an orchestra had assembled on the front steps of the cathedral and gave a small concert.  They appeared one by one as musicians playing solo and then they came together with a sound so magnificent that it brought tears to my eyes.

image

As we headed down the autostrada toward our resort, an hour and a half away, we decided we would take a different route home.  We exited at Chiusi to look for dinner in this small town or any of the others that dot the meandering roads on our way back.  It was not looking too promising to find anything.  The landscape was becoming more and more rural.  Our plan was to follow the signs for the first eatery of any kind that we came across.

Since there was nobody else on the road, when we noticed a small sign Bob screeched to a stop and we turned up the unpaved road.  This was what they refer to here as a white road – gravel and narrow.  At the end of this road we found a charming little restaurant, Trattoria del Contadino, and had the best meal of our trip.  We were the only guests and were treated like VIPs – from the antipasto tray all the way to the limoncello at the end of our meal.  It was perfecto.

Unfortunately we lingered long enough that Bob had to drive the white road out of there. We were thankful to be back in our beds that night.

The views at night are a bit more terrifying.

The views at night are a bit more terrifying.

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by Bonnie Anderson on April 17, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Art, Europe, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 17, 2015

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2015/04/17/florence-why-dont-we-call-you-firenze-europe-part-5/

Heading for La Dolce Vita

Life on the Lighter Side is going to Europe.

Bob and I are getting a jump on our 40th wedding anniversary celebration, which is in August.  We chose to travel in April for a couple of reasons.  It’s not prime season.  That means smaller crowds and cheaper flights (allegedly).  Also, I will do just about anything to keep from sweating.  (The irony of that statement combined with the fact that I live in Florida is not lost on me.)

We have been planning this trip for months.  Of course, that means Rick Steves has become our best friend.  We love his travel books.  I follow him on face book, which is how I discovered that he is in Italy right now, paving the way for us.  That also means I have the opportunity to stalk, I mean look for, Rick.  It will be my version of “Where’s Waldo.”

Besides devouring Rick’s books and making a steady diet of watching his PBS shows, I have been working on getting myself in shape so that I can best enjoy our trip.  Our destinations include Rome, Tuscany, Austria, and Bavaria.

My workout regime focuses on four main areas.

  1. Walking.  We will be doing walking tours.  The last time we were in Europe we walked everywhere.  When I got home I missed being able to walk to a destination instead of doing the much less inspiring laps around the block in my neighborhood.
  2. Bike riding. We will do a bike tour of Munich.
  3. Spinning.  Not to be confused with any form of biking.  We will be doing the Sound of Music tour in Austria.  You know that part of the movie where Maria walks up the hill, makes a dramatic spin and belts out “The hills are alive?”  I plan on doing that.  The problem is I get queasy with the slightest twirl.  That’s why I’ve been working out.
  4. Drinking wine. I love wine.  Especially red wine.  One of the big draws of Tuscany is the myriad of vineyards and local wines.  I have been pretty much a one-glass-of-wine person.  Two makes me sleepy.  My sons like to tease me about this and have suggested that I try to increase my endurance in this area.  So, I’ve been working on it, but only for the good of my trip, mind you.

We will touch down in Rome tomorrow morning.  I plan on blogging (wifi permitting), so if you’d like to follow my adventure, stay tuned.  I’ll share the highlights with you (assuming that second glass of wine doesn’t put me to sleep).

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by Bonnie Anderson on April 8, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Europe, Travel
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on April 8, 2015

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2015/04/08/heading-for-la-dolce-vita/

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