Vacanza d'Italia, Secondo Parte

The first half off the vacation has
past and it went by very quickly.
Spending the day at Lake Idro,
truly feels like vacation.
The apartment we rented has a
great view of the lake and the
proximity to the mountains
keeps the temperatures reasonable
as well. Lake Idro has very clear
water and a swim in the lake is a
refreshing as can be. We spent our days alternating
into close cities and days relaxing at the lake.

Brescia: A city close by with a big
castle from the middle ages. We
meandered through the vast area
of the castle grounds, over draw
bridges, through hidden
pathways and up on the cistern.
Very cool.

Verona: The main attraction we
visited in Verona was the arena.
The theater is still being used for huge
opera productions during the
summer, but you can visit the
place in the afternoon, before
they prepare for the show.
Walking up the stairs of the amphitheater
it seems almost unreal that you know
these same steps have been walked
by a Roman citizen to see a couple of
gladiators fight each other to the death.

We also visited Bergamo and like all these other cities, it just
looks like a movie set for a Roman inspired movie. You walk
the same cobble stone roads like the Roman legions and you
look at the same buildings as kings in the middle ages. This
is my first time in Italy, but the sense of history in all these places
is amazing. And the food.......... not so much history, but pretty
amazing as well. The pizza here is different than the American
cousin. Thin crust, mozzarella cheese and fresh ingredients make
it taste great. I also has some seafood risotto, tortellini and other
dishes that were just awsome. And don't get me started on the
ice-cream. No comparison, hands-down.
Overall a relaxing and interesting vacation for the first week.
Now we are off to the Venice region.

Vacanza d'Italia, Prima Parte

Finally, after a VERY hectic week, even more insane than the last couple
of weeks, I am off to my vacation in Italy. The plan is to take a plan to
Frankfurt and than hop over the alpes to Verona, where my sister and family
will pick me up. So, here I am in Frankfurt on a 4 hour layover. I briefly
talked with my sister on the phone. The weather in Italy is great and
the house they rented seems to be awesome.
Can't wait to finally get there.
The flight was uneventful. The plane was not very full with many open seats.
I guess, I am used to fly around Christmas, where the planes are filled to
the brim. We depart on time and thanks to tail winds, we reached Frankfurt
30 minutes earlier. Lufthansa usually has descent food on their flights,
but this time it was awful. I had the fish and it was so overcooked
I could have used it to break the window in an emergency.
But now I am sitting in a nice cafe, with a real coffee and Broetchen.
The classic always gets the job done.
I am still thinking of work and what I didn't get done before leaving,
but the memory is fading and by tomorrow all that will occupy my brain is
sunshine, gelato, and vino.

I saw two movies on the plane.
Arthur: Mindless comedy and dull even for in-flight entertainment (2 stars)
Ringo: Quirky cartoon. A bit more interesting than Arthur, but nothing
to write your mom home about. Maybe I was to tired to get the subtle humor.