I warned my friend Dawn about a 31st post, saying that if she saw one it would probably mean that the trip home was horrendous in one way or another. That was not the case. It's just that I have a few pictures I would like to share. Eventually. But first, to catch you up...
We spent the last night in Italy on the Lido of Venice, in a B&B which was once again an old palazzo. The room was nice but the breakfast was spectacular; it had every single thing that we like to eat for breakfast, including made-to-order cappuccino and croissants filled with chocolate.
You may remember the mound of luggage from a prior post. The mound has not actually grown in girth, but it has made significant gains in weight. The big box I added to hold the wine was deliciously empty on the ride over... and decidedly NOT empty going home. Beyond that, imagine my glee when I figured out that I could carry three more bottles in my other luggage... glee that dissolved under the actual hauling of said luggage. Lets just admit right here that a LOT of help in the form of taxis became necessary. And the rental of luggage carts. With the help, it became possible to carry/drag the eleven bottles of wine I purchased instead of jettison them into a Venetian canal (though probably mid-lug that option was considered). And so you can readily understand the pride with which I presented my luggage mountain to the airport check-in personnel in Venice. But instead of accolades, I was shocked to note that the wine box was met with a look of horror, (as if in Italy not one person EVER before me took wine back home). She was making loud sounds of protest to accompany the scandalized facial configurations, and then needed to call up her boss for support/further direction. In the end I was directed to take the wine box to a special x-ray machine, after which the technician was almost effusive in his praise of the meticulous packing job. So there. Anyway, after I'd finished with the horrification of staff, I joined this line for the security check:
Marco Polo Airport, Venice (not a line for a Disney ride)
So, I made it to zurich with little fan-fare, but had to rush for the Boston flight which seemed long, but again I was lucky and got a little sleep. I'd dreaded customs , but it was really the easiest and smoothest I've ever encountered. Customs investigation consisted of one guy looking me in the eyes and asking what I'd bought in Italy; I answered "wine" which is not a lie as you know, it's just a little bit incomplete. And that was it. So... I was able to successfully keep some panchetta and salami I'd bought in Greve.
At the time I was booking all of this initially, it seemed that the Airport Hilton in Boston had the most to offer since it was close, surely had a free shuttle and I could rest vs. sit up in the airport all night (my ticket included a non-requested 10 hour layover in Boston). I'm not planning on admitting the cost of this decision EVER (though we could say that I will be funding Paris' next three visits to Victoria's Secret). At any rate, the view toward the city was great:
The obligatory "art shot" I'd like to say was planned but you are far too used to my tricks by now to fall for that!
I think that I like this one best of all:
The Million Dollar room with mess supplied by me
We spent the last night in Italy on the Lido of Venice, in a B&B which was once again an old palazzo. The room was nice but the breakfast was spectacular; it had every single thing that we like to eat for breakfast, including made-to-order cappuccino and croissants filled with chocolate.
You may remember the mound of luggage from a prior post. The mound has not actually grown in girth, but it has made significant gains in weight. The big box I added to hold the wine was deliciously empty on the ride over... and decidedly NOT empty going home. Beyond that, imagine my glee when I figured out that I could carry three more bottles in my other luggage... glee that dissolved under the actual hauling of said luggage. Lets just admit right here that a LOT of help in the form of taxis became necessary. And the rental of luggage carts. With the help, it became possible to carry/drag the eleven bottles of wine I purchased instead of jettison them into a Venetian canal (though probably mid-lug that option was considered). And so you can readily understand the pride with which I presented my luggage mountain to the airport check-in personnel in Venice. But instead of accolades, I was shocked to note that the wine box was met with a look of horror, (as if in Italy not one person EVER before me took wine back home). She was making loud sounds of protest to accompany the scandalized facial configurations, and then needed to call up her boss for support/further direction. In the end I was directed to take the wine box to a special x-ray machine, after which the technician was almost effusive in his praise of the meticulous packing job. So there. Anyway, after I'd finished with the horrification of staff, I joined this line for the security check:
Marco Polo Airport, Venice (not a line for a Disney ride)
I amused myself with snapping photos. This shoe shot is all I could get of really marvelous boots that a young lady was wearing: they were ankle height and had so much character and soul... you could tell that she loved them too (and perhaps her father before her)
So, I made it to zurich with little fan-fare, but had to rush for the Boston flight which seemed long, but again I was lucky and got a little sleep. I'd dreaded customs , but it was really the easiest and smoothest I've ever encountered. Customs investigation consisted of one guy looking me in the eyes and asking what I'd bought in Italy; I answered "wine" which is not a lie as you know, it's just a little bit incomplete. And that was it. So... I was able to successfully keep some panchetta and salami I'd bought in Greve.
At the time I was booking all of this initially, it seemed that the Airport Hilton in Boston had the most to offer since it was close, surely had a free shuttle and I could rest vs. sit up in the airport all night (my ticket included a non-requested 10 hour layover in Boston). I'm not planning on admitting the cost of this decision EVER (though we could say that I will be funding Paris' next three visits to Victoria's Secret). At any rate, the view toward the city was great:
The obligatory "art shot" I'd like to say was planned but you are far too used to my tricks by now to fall for that!
I think that I like this one best of all:
The Million Dollar room with mess supplied by me
I got about five hours sleep and then readied myself for the 6:30AM flight to LAX. The shuttle got me to the airport on time, the flight was LONG but smooth, and after a van ride up to Santa Barbara from LAX, my friend Stan came to collect both me and the copious luggage... and that dear people is the official end of this trip. And probably the blog. Thank you for journeying with me!
