Europe 2022 day #17. “Our Last Day in Wien (aka Vienna)” Vienna, Austria 10/23/2022

by reissmd, posted in Vienna, Austria

I am so sorry if it has been difficult to make a comment on the blog. According to my daughter, Erica, all you need to do is reply to the email that sends the post. No need to go to the blog site and add your email address. I love those comments so please keep them coming.

We started today with another great breakfast and I have to admit the Sacher Torte has definitely grown on me and I like it very much. So much so that I am disappointed that our flight tomorrow is so early that we might miss breakfast.

We had a fantastic day with Peter touring the Hofburg Palace complex which included the Sisi museum. The museum is dedicated to Elisabeth the Emperess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian equivalent to Lady Di. Elisabeth was quite the beauty and a bit vain. We were told that she refused to allow any photos to be taken of her after the age of 30.

The security camera at the Elisabeth museum. Notice the 3 suspicious characters in the right lower corner.

We also toured the Military Museum and Belvedere Palace. The Belvedere Palace had an incredible array of artwork including “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt.

“The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt.

During the day we took a lunch break at Cafe Central (Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien). Our guide, Peter, joined us for lunch at which time he discussed the history of Vienna prior to, during, and after WW II. It was fascinating to hear what he had to say. I was essentially speechless (Patrice here: Yes, Robert hardly said a word and you know what a rare event that is).

Robert, Erica, Patrice, and Peter at Cafe Central.

One fun fact we learned today was that as part of the post-WWII peace accord the Austrians were required to put up memorials to each of the allied countries. Peter took us by the Russian memorial. He further told us that the person that owns the property adjacent to the memorial was understandably upset about the Russian military action in Ukraine. Notice the colors he painted the adjoining fence.

The private property with its new coat of paint resembling the Ukrainian flag.

Peter was with us for about 7 hours today (we were only scheduled for 6) and then we had to bid him farewell. I told him that each tour guide seems to be better than the previous so lucky for him we only have Berlin left on our tour so he will definitely be one of our top 2 favorites. Not only was he a vast source of information, but he was also very humorous. Today he really got me chuckling when we were waiting at a red light and he started to cross the street saying, “The red light is just a suggestion”.

You might remember from yesterday that I planned to return to Jungmann & Neffe to be measured for my tailor-made suit for a mere $5,000. But darn, wouldn’t you know they are closed on Sunday. I guess we will just have to return and get it next time.

Can you see how disappointed I was that I lost my opportunity to buy a $5,000 suit?

Enough for tonight. After all, we need to head out for dinner.

Gute Nacht

Europe 2022 day #16. “Can I Please Sit for a Minute?” Vienna, Austria 10/22/2022

by reissmd, posted in Vienna, Austria

Today was our first full day in Vienna. Breakfast at the hotel is included so Erica and I went down to have a light meal. Patrice waited in the room, the reason for that will soon become apparent. When we arrived at the dining room we were greeted by Helmut who said “Let me introduce you to the buffet”. How could we turn down such a wonderful offer? The delights were plentiful including an old friend from yesterday.

Yes, the Sacher Torte was available.

Since I panned the Sacher Torte yesterday I felt that I had to give it another opportunity to impress me and it did much better today. Possibly yesterday’s was just from a bad batch because I enjoyed it much more today. But I had to keep myself under control because today we had planned one of our favorite activities……… yes, a FOOD TOUR!

Patrice and I have gone on food tours in New Orleans, Boston, London, Memphis, Denver, and other cities. Well, today we signed up for a Vienna food tour at the recommendation of Gwen from Exeter International and we were not disappointed. Tomas led us around the city and we had a great time. We learned a lot about Vienna, other regions of Austria, and of course food. We had 6 stops and all were lots of fun and tasty. My personal favorite was the sausage stand.

My favorite part is that you can see Erica’s reflection in the glass

Our excellent Food Tour Guide, Tomas, returned us safely to our hotel where we were able to take a short rest before heading out on a city tour.

Our afternoon tour of the city was led by Peter. At first glance, you might have some concerns because Peter is just a tad younger than me. As it turned out he had the stamina of a 20-year-old. I don’t think he sat down once and the only time he stopped was when I started complaining about my back hurting. He gave us a brief review of his personal history. Peter started out as a lawyer but quickly realized he didn’t like it. He was an owner of an art gallery and after about 20 years decided to sell it and become a financial advisor. Unfortunately, his timing wasn’t good because this was in 2008 when the global economy was very sluggish. So then he decided to be a tour guide telling us that as an attorney and financial advisor no one believed what he said but as a tour guide everyone believes everything he says. He also told us how tourists will ask where they can find the kangaroos confusing Austria with Australia.

Tourists looking for kangaroos in Vienna can go here.

After hearing this I knew immediately that we had the right person as our guide.

Our first stop was right around the corner at Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe (Wilhelm Jungmann & Nephew), a men’s clothing store that has been in business since 1836. Peter said the store sells tailor-made suits that sell for about $5,000. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time for me to get measured for a suit so we will go back tomorrow afternoon.

Window at Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe with a reflection of the cathedral

We next visited St. Stephen’s Cathedral which is truly a beautiful sight. I explained that although I am intrigued by the elegance and history of the cathedral, not being Catholic, makes the place a little less important to me. Peter shared that he is Catholic but has only been in church twice. Once when he was Baptized and the next when he got married. This just further affirmed that he is my kind of guy.

We also saw some residential buildings that were built in the 1800s. It is so amazing to think that these structures have been around so long. We ended the tour at the royal crypt. When I first heard we were going there I was very displeased. But not wanting to be a party pooper I just went along without voicing my objections. I am so glad we went. The coffins were ornate but even more interesting were Peter’s stories about the history of the various kings and other royalty buried there.

How is this for a simple tombstone?

Peter delivered us to our hotel for a brief rest then it was off to dinner to be followed by a Mozart concert. As hard as this is to believe, the line for the Sacher Torte was even longer today.

Sorry, I can’t explain this.

Gute Nacht

Europe 2022 day #15. “A Weekend in Austria With Erica” Budapest, Hungary and Vienna, Austria 10/21/2022 

by reissmd, posted in Budapest, Hungary, Vienna, Austria

I signed off last night as Patrice and I were about to go to the spa for massages. We had a couples massage, Sonia took care of Patrice and Olga treated me. This was true magic and when Olga said we are done, I said “Can you start over?” I slept like a baby last night.

This morning we got up early to get ready for our train ride to Vienna where we were to meet up with Erica for the weekend. As always the Aria Hotel supplied a wonderful breakfast. At breakfast, we were greeted by an employee who we had not met before, He was not native-born in Hungary but rather from Trinidad and Tobago. He didn’t get here by taking the wrong bus but actually previously worked for Celebrity cruises. When I asked what got him to stay he replied “I met my son’s mother”. Ah yes, another man who followed his….heart. He has now been in Hungary for over 2 years and when I asked if he speaks Hungarian he replied: “That’s a work in progress but I get by thanks to Google Translate”. Our new friend brought us something new for breakfast. Question of the day: can you identify this delight?

No, these are not Eggs Benedict.

After breakfast, our wonderful driver, Attila, drove us to the train station, took our bags, found our train, found our seats, put one of our bags in the overhead compartment (no way I could have done that), and bid us a bon voyage to Vienna.  I emailed our travel agent to let her know it would be impossible for the next hotel, guide, and driver to equal the experience we had in Budapest. 

Thanks to Attila our luggage was in the overhead compartment and Patrice had room to sleep.

The train was due to leave at 9:40.  And just as our Budapest guide, Julia, predicted, it left exactly at 9:40.  A bit later one of the attendants came by to check our tickets.  Of course, they were conveniently stored on the AXUS app (thank you, Gwen). I wondered what they would do with us if we didn’t have tickets or if we were on the wrong train. Luckily I didn’t need to find out. 

Patrice, my sleeper extraordinaire (see above picture), wanted to get some rest but couldn’t figure out how to get the seat to recline.  She saw these buttons.

These buttons seem to allow reclining of the seats.

But couldn’t get them to work.  Patrice flagged down one of the porters and asked “Do these work?”.  The gentleman smiled and said “Oh, no, no, no”, while looking at her with an expression that read “She must be a silly American, lol”. 

The train ride was incredible. We arrived at each stop within a minute of the scheduled arrival time and reached Vienna on time. We saw our driver (notice I didn’t say we were greeted by our driver) who took Patrice’s bag (but not mine like Attila did in Budapest and Federica did in Venice) and then turned and walked towards the exit. At my age, and with a full backpack and suitcase, I don’t move as quickly as I once did. The driver walked without once looking back to see if I was following him. Lucky for me, Patrice was able to keep up with him otherwise I might have been dropped and possibly I would have decided to turn around and go back to Budapest and search out my new BFF, Attila. This driver was no Attila but he did get us to the hotel safely so I have no real complaints.

The Sacher hotel in Vienna is very elegant. They have an array of photos of celebrities who have stayed here. It is not a high-tech marvel like the Aria in Budapest but it still is very nice.  The staff has been falling over themselves to make us happy. 

After putting our luggage in the room, we got a quick bite at the Sacher Cafe. The cafe was full of customers. We had a light lunch but we had to treat ourselves to the famous Sacher Torte. I’d never heard of it but from what I’ve learned it seems like I’m the only one who didn’t know about their specialty. Unfortunately, we were not impressed. It looked appetizing but the taste was nothing special. After lunch, we headed to the Albertina museum which is literally steps from our hotel. On our way over we saw a line of people waiting to get into the cafe. I stopped to ask why they were waiting and yes, it was for the torte.

People waiting outside on a very cold day just so they could eat the Sacher Torte. I felt guilty for not warning them that it wasn’t worth the wait.
Here it is a chocolate cake with an apricot layer. It is not as good as it looks.

Enough about overrated chocolate desserts and back to the Albertina museum. It was fantastic. Currently, they have a special exhibit of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I must share my artistic ignorance but I had never heard of this master who died at the age of 27. The exhibit was superb and taught me a lot about this man who was an artistic genius and a thinker way ahead of his time. We also saw some works by a number of other artists including Pablo Picasso. Did you know that at 80 years old Picasso married a woman 45 years his junior? Here is a portrait he painted of his young wife.

No surprise that a 35-year-old woman who marries an 80-year-old would look like this.

Time for Erica’s flight to arrive from Madrid, so don’t forget to tell me the name of the breakfast item if you can.

Auf Wiedersehen

Europe 2022 day #14. “Fight On for Old UCLA?” Budapest, Hungary 10/20/2022

by reissmd, posted in Budapest, Hungary

Last night, Wednesday morning for you, I spent some time back in Los Angeles via zoom.  As many of you know I am in the process of changing jobs.  In January, I will start working at UCLA’s clinic in Palos Verdes.  Yes, the boy who went 4 years to USC undergrad and 4 years to USC medical school will be working for UCLA.   As part of the hiring process, UCLA requires new hires to attend 11 four-hour onboarding sessions (4 in person and 7 via zoom).  Why so many you ask?  The obvious reason is people from USC are slow learners. For example, Patrice (a UCLA graduate x 3) has been trying to teach me the traditional Bruin cheer known as the “8-clap” but I still get confused somewhere between clap 3-4.  When she asks me to sing the fight song I instinctively start singing “Fight On for Old SC”.  I’m trying my best but it’s a work in progress. 

One thing I’d like to say is that the UCLA people have been incredibly nice to me.  

At the first onboarding session, I met a number of staff physicians who reached out to me and gave me their cell phone numbers telling me to call if I had any problems.  I also met Robbie from Ambulatory Community Outreach, who personally brought me around to meet some people to help me solve some issues I was having.  A few weeks later I met Jac (who also works at Ambulatory Community Outreach) at a 5K run. She was already aware of my hire and had some great suggestions on ways to make my transition smoother.  Robbie and Jac found out that I will be receiving the inaugural Impact Award from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and did something that really warmed my heart. They arranged for UCLA to take out a full-page ad in the program for the Foundation Gala on November 3rd. As I said, the Foundation will be giving me its first Impact Award for my work.  This will become an annual award given at the gala to people whose efforts have had a major impact on the foundation.  I’m very proud to be receiving the first of these prestigious awards. UCLA’s support in this regard has been very humbling. If any of you are interested in attending the event please go to this link https://one.bidpal.net/gutsglory2022/welcome. If you would like to participate in the silent auction here is the link to that:  https://one.bidpal.net/gutsglory2022/browse/all

It was fun logging on to the onboarding session because I quickly said, “Hello from Budapest, Hungary” which understandably got some surprise comments. I am sure they appreciate me taking time out of my vacation to join the session when the spa is begging me to come down for a massage.

Thank you for all those responses to the musical instrument question. Many people said it was a dulcimer which is almost right. It is a Hungarian instrument called the Cimbalom. It is in the dulcimer family but there are some subtleties that make it different. I won’t bore you with the specifics (Patrice here, what he is really saying is that he has no idea about any of the differences).

We had a great tour today. Julia (our guide) and Attila (our driver) took us to Szentendre which is about 15 miles (oops, I mean about 24 Km) north of Budapest. This is a quaint little artist community where we went to the restaurant, Aranysárkány Vendéglő (“Golden Dragon Inn” located at Szentendre, Alkotmány u. 1/a, 2000) to learn how to cook some traditional Hungarian dishes. This was an amazing experience. The owner/chef (Attila like our driver) taught us how to make 3 Hungarian dishes. We made “tojás leves” (egg soup), “paprikás csirke” (paprika chicken), and for dessert “túró gombóc” (cottage cheese dumpling). It was a blast. In addition to Attila, we were helped by his assistant, Monica, and Attila’s son, Attila. After getting things going we took a walk around the town with Julia then returned to enjoy the lunch we helped make. While we were eating Attila’s father (the founder of the restaurant) whose name is also Attila came by to have lunch. Trust me not every male in Hungary is named Attila.

Check out this 46-second video of “me making the soup”. If you wait until the end you will notice one of the Attila’s turning my wrist to add the egg to the broth (clearly I was a huge help).

The egg soup was unbelievable.
Paprika chicken. We made 9 pieces but were only served 5! What’s the deal?
Cottage Cheese Dumpling. Sounds awful but tastes amazing.

After lunch, Julia and Attila (the driver, not the chef, or the son, or the grandpa) gave us a driving tour of Budapest ending up at our hotel just in time for some real magic. Sorry, that will have to wait until tomorrow. Let me just give this teaser, it has been the highlight of the trip.

Viszontlátásra

Europe 2022 day #13. “Another Day in Heaven” Budapest, Hungary 10/19/2022

by reissmd, posted in Budapest, Hungary

Last night we had another wonderful dinner. This time it was at a restaurant recommended by our tour guide, Rézkakas Bistro Easy Terasz (Budapest, Sas u 3, 1051).  We had a great table close to the in-house music.  Check out this short 14-second video. 

Question of the day: What is the name of the instrument that is being played closest to the camera?

Breakfast at the hotel was amazing as expected. Patrice had an omelet (how boring) while I had the best eggs Benedict of my life. Sorry, no picture but I’ll try to get one tomorrow. The hotel continues to impress. The elevator requires your key to take you to your assigned room. No need to remove the card key from your wallet to get it to work. It also unlocks your room door by passing the key over a sensor close to the wall. All you need to do is to push the door open.

After breakfast, we met our guide, Julia, for a tour of the city. For those of you who are not aware, Budapest is a twin city. The cities of Buda and Pest are divided by the Danube River. It is often referred to as the Blue Danube but it didn’t look very blue to me. If you want to see blue go to Crater Lake in Oregon. Julia explained there are two types of people who live in Budapest, there are those who live in Buda and those who wished they lived in Buda. Yesterday, Julia took us on a 4-hour walking tour of Buda. We started with a boat ride on the Danube exiting on the Buda side. Buda is very hilly with lots of glorious views.

On Buda, we explored the Buda Castle, Royal Palace, Matyas church, and other beautiful sites. We saw a couple taking wedding pictures but they were already married. We also saw another couple taking wedding pictures who looked like it will be a miracle if they actually get married.

Today Julia took us around Pest (pronounce “pesht” not “pest” like having me around you). We went to the Museum of Terror which was not very terrifying nor was it very interesting. The Pest Synagogue, actually there are about 23 synagogues in Pest, the one we went to was the Dohány Street Synagogue. It is one of the biggest in the world but it looked more like a church. I suppose since it was designed by a non-Jew in the 1800s this is not a surprise.

Dohány Street Synagogue. What is your verdict, synagogue or church?

I am told there is almost an exact copy of this synagogue in New York. Next time we are in Manhattan I will have to check out the Central Synagogue. I saw the sign below upon exiting that made me think the NYC synagogue and this one might be the same.

Ad for a kosher restaurant on the synagogue fence? Are we in New York?

Not sure if this will help but here is a better picture of the instrument I asked you to identify. A hint, it is associated with Hungary and I am not referring to the two violins on top, or the bass on the side.

Any ideas?

Viszontlátásra (Once again that means goodbye and it is not the name of the instrument)

Europe 2022 Day #12 “Ryan Air? Please No, Anything But Ryan Air!”. Madrid, Spain; Budapest, Hungary 10/18/22

by reissmd, posted in Budapest, Hungary, Madrid

We had an amazing “Last Supper” with Erica last night at Restaurant El Valle (Calle de Sebastián Herrera, 6, 28012 Madrid).  The three of us shared a huge Hake fish (similar to Cod and Haddock).  The fish was filleted at the table and I am so glad it was.  The pre-filet appearance was fantastic, post-filet it didn’t look like something I would want to eat. 

Hake, pre-filet.
Hake, Post-filet

If you would like to see the 55-second video of the server doing the fileting here it is. It was great watching him do it but I think watching the video might be better for those dealing with insomnia.

Today was the day of our trip that I was dreading. Today we flew from Madrid to Budapest on Ryan Air.  You might be asking if I have such disdain for this carrier why did we book this flight?  Unfortunately, it was the only airline with a nonstop flight to Budapest on 10/18/2022.  The others would have taken many hours longer and routed us through Ukraine or North Korea (that last part was a joke if you couldn’t tell. But as my daughter, Lindsay, tells me, “If you have to say it’s a joke, it isn’t”). 

We did our job, arriving 2 hours prior to departure with our boarding passes in hand (let’s not rehash the fiasco that I told you about yesterday). We walked a fair distance to the Ryan Air check-in desks and saw a rather modest number of people on line.  The queue (how British of me) moved incredibly fast and then we were on our way to the gate.  

As is typical in Spain people started lining up to board long before any announcement that boarding would begin. 

Spaniards are on line to board 19 minutes before the scheduled boarding time and 49 minutes before takeoff.
Patrice and Robert 10 minutes AFTER boarding started.

Onboard we were given instructions in Spanish prior to take-off. I couldn’t understand a word making me very depressed about the quality of my Spanish.   Then they gave what I assume were the same instructions in English speaking so rapidly that I understood nothing.  At least I could feel a little better about my Spanish. We finally took off at 8:38, about 13 minutes late (or 20 minutes early if you usually fly American).  In spite of leaving late, we landed 17 minutes early (1 day early if you usually fly American).  Maybe I misjudged Ryan Air? They might be a budget carrier but they seem to have efficiency as their goal.  It was a great flight.

One other note about Spaniards and their flying etiquette, in addition to lining up to board long before it is necessary (we all had assigned seats so what’s the point?) they have one other curious behavior. On every Spanish flight, I have been on, the passengers applaud after landing. I wonder if they would boo if we crashed.

We were picked up from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) and driven to Aria Hotel Budapest where will be staying in Budapest. This place is AMAZING. Let me rephrase that, THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. I already told our travel agent to cancel the rest of our trip because we will not be leaving this room. I also contacted a real estate agent to sell our house because we are never going to leave this room. The room is spacious. The bathroom is gigantic. We have a very roomy shower and a separate bathtub. The room is very high-tech with lots of gadgets. Downstairs there is a spa with a sauna, hot tub, and swimming pool. Also, an area to just relax. Breakfast is included and I can’t wait to see that after seeing the pastries in their “bar”. From 4-6 PM, they offer wine and cheese. I don’t drink alcohol but I might have to start.

What a great day. Oh, did I tell you we took a 4-hour walking tour of the city? I would like to talk more but Patrice and I have to schedule our massages.

How fun to see your name on your TV (Patrice, sorry they didn’t mention you)
Piano hallway/lobby with real piano. Breakfast and afternoon treats served here.
Hot tub and swimming pool.
High-Tech shower. I hope I can figure it out.
Bathtub that looks like lots of fun.
Towel warmer to make sure you are comfortable when leaving the bath or shower.
His and her bathrobes.
His and her slippers.
Why doesn’t every hotel room supply you with a Makeup Towel?
And lastly a little chocolate gift on your bed prior to going to sleep.

What a wonderful day. Tomorrow couldn’t possibly match it. Or could it?

Oops, I almost forgot, yesterday’s question. Obviously many of my followers are smarter than me. A number of you gave the correct answer. Window shades on the planes are kept open during takeoff and landing to allow the flight crew to assess any emergencies happening outside the plane. Good work team. I will try to come up with a better question next time.

Viszontlátásra (Good bye)

Europe 2022 day #11. “Why Can’t Things Ever be Simple?” Madrid, Spain 10/17/2022

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Last night we had a wonderful dinner at a bar near our hotel.  You have to remember when I say bar in Madrid we are actually talking about a restaurant.  The food was good and it was nice catching up with Erica.  It has been difficult for me to have her live so far away but I’ve come to accept it.  I think our visit in 2021 was the first time I didn’t cry when we said our goodbyes.  Hopefully, this trip will be the same but don’t bet on it.

During dinner, Erica mentioned that Ryan Air requires you to check in online and print your own boarding passes.  We had booked our Ryan Air flight through an agency recommended by both of our travel agents for the trip.  The agency they recommended did not tell us anything about checking in online or printing our own boarding passes.  I emailed the agency last night and when I didn’t see a reply I called this morning and left a message.  Their voicemail said they would call back in less than 10 minutes. Twenty-five minutes later I sent another email.  I finally got a reply saying there would be an extra charge for our luggage and asked for authorization to use the credit card on file.  Now steam was exiting my ears.  I replied that when we asked them to make the reservation we told them we each would have a suitcase and a backpack.  I told them they could use my credit card but I was not happy.  Finally, I got a reply that the agent misread our booking and there wouldn’t be any additional charges.  He also sent me our boarding passes.  We used this agency at the recommendation of our travel agents so as to avoid aggravation such as this.  So sometimes paying a little extra for special service is NOT worth the money.  Live and learn. 

We visited Erica at work today and had a bite to eat with 3 of her compañeros. It was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish and meet the people she spends her days with. I tried to convince them that she is not to be trusted and should be deported immediately to the USA. Unfortunately, they were not buying it and it looks like she will be staying after we leave.

Tonight we will meet Erica for dinner. Two of our Spanish friends were planning to join us but they had to cancel due to a serious illness in the family.  It’s amazing how many friends we have here and I always feel bad because we can’t see all of them every trip.  We did have a brief coffee with Angelica who I’ve known since my third trip here in 2008.  She is a real delight and I refer to her as my Spanish mother because she and her ex-husband, Juan Carlos, always took such great care of me during my visits.

Angelica (my “Spanish Mother”, Patrice (my “American mother”) and “the baby”.

Tomorrow we have an early flight to Budapest on Ryan Air.  If you haven’t flown Ryan Air consider yourself lucky.  It’s always an experience. 

I always ask Patrice to proofread my blog. Today she said, “It’s a lot of complaining and not that funny.” I told her people who read this know me and that I complain a lot and I’m not that funny.

A little question for the readers of the blog. Do you know why the airlines ask you to open your window shades during take offs and landings? Please put your answer in the comments and I will give you the correct response tomorrow (if I remember to do it).

Nos vemos en Budapest mañana. (see you in Budapest tomorrow).

Hasta Luego. 

Europe 2022 day #10. “Where Is My Baby?” Madrid, Spain 10/16/2022

by reissmd, posted in Madrid, Venice, Italy

Last night we went to the opera and watched a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata”.  The theater was formerly a palace and the work was performed by a very small ensemble.  There were three musicians and three singers.  The opera has three acts and each was performed in a different room with a 10-minute intermission allowing the audience to move to the next venue.  It was very enjoyable and I would consider going to another opera in the future.  Does anyone know when “Porgy and Bess” will be performed locally?

Upon entering we were greeted with this warning advice.
“Violetta” taking her bows. The room was very hot and unfortunately, we were in the back during every act.

We then had another great dinner, this time at Ristorante Acqua Pazza (S. Marco, 3808, 30124 Venezia VE).  We had an appetizer of Parma Prosciutto and Melon, followed by Pasta with Lobster for Patrice and Amberjack for me.  For those of you who never heard of Amberjack, join the club.  It is a very tasty fish and I was very pleased. 

Prosciutto and melon. Sorry, we were almost done eating it before I remembered to take a picture.

Today we left Venice and flew to Madrid. We went to the Venice airport (VCE) via water taxi followed by a standard taxi (if you consider a Mercedes standard). We were accompanied by our guide Anna Lisa who told us some facts about Venice that our previous guides either didn’t tell us or the information went in one ear and out the other.  It must have been the former since Patrice didn’t recall these tidbits.  If it had just been me I would assume it passed untouched threw my empty head.  

Traversing through the Venice airport went smoothly.  After making it through security we relaxed in the lounge waiting for our flight.  I got a bit of a fright because I dozed off prior to our 11:55 flight only to see this sign when I awoke

I initially thought it was 10 minutes after four but I soon realized it was the 16th of October. Phew!

Leaving the lounge I had a chance to see how far my Italian had progressed.   When we left I said “Grazie” (thank you) to the front desk clerk and she immediately replied in English.  I guess my Italian needs a little more work. 

The flight to Madrid went well, but the highlight of our trip was being greeted at the MAD airport by our favorite driver, our wonderful daughter Erica.  She brought us to our hotel and then lead us through a traditional Madrid activity.  We did laundry.  We still have 2 weeks left on our vacation so it was either do laundry or pay the tour company an additional fee for “hazard pay”. 

Patrice, Robert, and Erica at the laundromat.

After finishing the laundry, we got ready for dinner.  Erica and Patrice went to the hotel gym to work out and I took a nap.

I am looking forward to tomorrow when we do…….  Actually, I don’t know what we will be doing. 

Ciao.  

Oops, we are no longer in Italy. 

Hasta luego. 

Europe 2022 day #9. “Oops, I Was Wrong?” Venice, Italy 10/15/2022

by reissmd, posted in Italy, Venice, Italy

When I left you yesterday we were on our way to the opera.  Well, at least I thought we were.  Turns out that last night we went to the Chiesa Della Pieta, also referred to as the “Vivaldi Church” to hear a string ensemble play Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”.  They also played pieces by Handel and Bach.  For an encore, we were treated to “Recomposed: by Max Richter, Vivaldi – The Four Seasons”.   The group was excellent.  Patrice spoke to one of the musicians after the performance and found out that the group was part of a 40-piece orchestra the musicians rotate playing at the venue.  This was a real treat.  Interesting to me was that just like at La Scala in Milan, the musicians did not talk to the audience before, during, or after the performance.  

Video of the Vivaldi church prior to the concert:

Vivaldi church. All seats are the same price. We just got lucky.

Video of ensemble playing “Recomposed by Max Richter”.  I hope this doesn’t break any copyright rule and bring down my site.

Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi The Four Seasons.

After the brief concert (a little over one hour) we went to dinner at Vecia Cavana (Via Tera Santi Apostoli, 4624, 30121 Venezia VE).  We have been using Google Maps to get around and when I put in the restaurant as the destination it gave me two estimates, 17 minutes by car (no cars in Venice) or 16 by foot.  For obvious reasons, we decided to walk.  We could only get a late reservation and since the concert was very short we arrived very early.  I spoke to the maître d’ and said we were a little early (about 40 minutes to be more precise).  He said we would have to wait, about 5 or 10 minutes.  That was great and he asked us to sit outside and that he would send out an “aperitif”.  Moments later a server came out with two glasses with a pinkish liquid.  Patrice asked what they were and he said, “It’s a secret” but finally fessed up that they were grapefruit juice and ginger.  They were delicious and really made us feel wanted by the staff (who doesn’t want to feel wanted?).  A few minutes later we were escorted to our table.  The server explained that Vecia means old and Cavana is a place to store a boat.  The restaurant is located at the site of a 16th-century boathouse, thus the name. 

At Vecia Cavana in Venice. Notice two things. The lovely aperitifs sent by the maitre d’ and my reflection in the mirror. I took (and deleted) a photo with me a little further back showing a profile shot I would prefer. to ignore.

We had an excellent meal and really enjoyed the restaurant’s piano player. At one point he started playing “Here Comes the Bride” and they brought out a cake with the number 50 because a couple from Texas was celebrating their 50th anniversary that night.  They told us that they were on an anniversary celebration trip lasting the entire month of October and would be meeting their 5 children at the end of the trip in Rome.  

We are not far behind them.

Today we had a free day and my tour guide, and wife outdid the professionals.  First, we went to the Peggy Guggenheim museum.  It was small but very impressive.  There were a lot of Picassos, Magrittes, and other famous artists’ works.  Max Ernst has a number of pieces and we found out he was married to Peggy Guggenheim from 1942-1946. He also had three other wives spanning from 1918 (when he was 27) until his death in 1978. According to Wikipedia, there was not one year during that time that he didn’t have a wife. I guess he hated having just cereal in the morning.

From there we took the water bus to San Giorgio island where we toured the Basilica Di San Giorgio Maggiore.  They had a temporary exhibit beyond belief. It was a huge Murano glass sculpture by artist Ai Wei Wei from China.  It’s made of over 2,000 pieces of handcrafted Murano black glass.  It is six meters wide and nine meters high.  It is the largest hanging sculpture made of Murano glass in the world. Please look at these pictures and keep in mind it is all glass.  

Wei Wei’s Murano glass sculpture
Close-up view of part of the same piece.

In addition to the atrium glass masterpiece, there were a series of Lego sculptures in the hallway, depicting the various Chinese Zodiac signs. These specialties were also made by Wei Wei.  

The Rooster
2022 is the year of the Tiger. Sorry, this looks more like a Bear to me.

After that, we paid to go to the top of the Campanile Tower and we were treated to marvelous views from the tower.  If you look at this video you will see a number of boats in the Grand Canal.  Apparently, there is a regatta tomorrow and these boats will be participating.  You will be able to tell (if your sound is turned on) when it is 2:30 because you will hear the bell and see the picture wobble as I almost dropped my camera (and became temporarily deaf).

Now it is off to the opera.  Hmmm, I just had a deja vu moment.   

We leave Venice tomorrow so I am not sure when I will post next.  Tomorrow is a very special day because we will be seeing the most important person on our trip.  More about that tomorrow.

Ciao

Europe 2022 day #9. “A Three Island Tour”  Murano, Burano, Torcello, Italy 10/14/2022

by reissmd, posted in Burano, Italy, Murano, Italy, Torcello, Italy

After another amazing breakfast, we were greeted by our guide, Daria, for a 3 island tour. Venice is made up of over 100 islands (we have been told 117, 118, 120, and 123, so I can’t guarantee which number is correct). Today we visited 3 of them (I can guarantee you that number is accurate), Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

We first ventured via water taxi to Murano, an island inhabited by about 5,000 people. It is known for its world-famous glass-blowing. We were shown around one of the factories (I should really say art studio) by Piero who gives the tours, sells the items, and also makes the artwork. He told us that he learned the process from his grandfather who was a very famous glassmaker. We got to see the artisans in action and it was very impressive. Piero showed us the family tree of one of the sculptors that showed his ancestors were blowing glass since the 1400s. He has no children so after 600 years of glassblowing his family will no longer practice this art.

Piero explained the various steps that are involved in making each piece. One of the artists brought over a piece he had just placed down to cool and Piero warned us not to touch it. He then put some common newspaper on it and watch this 8-second video to see what happened. Yikes! I am so glad I listed to Piero. https://youtube.com/shorts/-iwn1LCJWgw

We were next escorted to the showroom to look at possible pieces for purchase. Patrice picked out one piece that she liked and Piero went to check the price. He told us there would be no taxes and that the piece would be shipped for free. The vase Patrice picked out was priced at 2,400 Euros. I am happy to report that I didn’t hit my head when I fainted. When revived Patrice said, “I didn’t buy it, I didn’t buy it!” At that point, my heart rate and respiratory rate returned to normal, and I was able to continue the tour. I did like a picture frame that I saw just prior to exiting. It was priced at 120 Euros. Do you think that is reasonable? See below.

120 Euros for this? I don’t even know that woman!

After Murano, we got back on the water taxi and traveled to the nearby island of Burano. This island is home to about 3,000 people and is very picturesque, It is most famous for its colorful houses. See below.

Typical scene in Burano.
Another Burano home with a very handsome couple in front.

There are a variety of shops on the island and our guide took us to one where they did exquisite needlework. Apparently, this is a dying art since most of the young people do not want to learn the craft of making lace. We were told that some of the stitches used are only known by one person so when she dies that stitch will no longer be done. Of course, if no one is learning the techniques this method of making lace will soon be gone forever. These pieces are so precious that they are no longer used as placemats, tablecloths, collars, and doilies because of the amount of time needed to make them. We were told that a bedspread would take ten years to be made. Instead, the items are framed like a piece of art (which they are). See below.

Handmade stitchwork from Burano, Italy.
It seems as if one of the artists didn’t get the message that this is a Catholic country.

I also noted a tower in Burano that might interest you. See below.

Another leaning tower. I think a structural engineer is needed in this country.

From Burano, we headed to our final destination, the island of Torcello. According to our guide, Daria, this island is populated by 11 people (all farmers). All the people working at the shops and stands live elsewhere and travel to the island each day to work. They might only have 11 full-time inhabitants but of course, they have a church. See below a picture of the church with a sign in front.

If I understand the sign correctly, this church specializes in low back pain.

Tonight we are going to see a performance of La Traviata by Giuseppe Verde. I have never been to an opera. Well, I did see Porgy and Bess, does that count? Of course, the libretto (big word, are you impressed?) will all be in Italian so I am guessing I might get a good nap.

Take care and speak to you tomorrow.

Ciao