Carol's Travels

We rode the train this morning to Ravenna.  It was raining, so we looked very colorful as we disembarked the train in Ravenna under our umbrellas.  Our city guide greeted us, then we walked briskly down several blocks to the first building we would enter.  We spent about four hours touring buildings with intricate mosaics on ceilings, walls, and floors.  This city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the mosaics and monuments.  We went to these sites:  S. Francesco which is sinking, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Mausoleo Di Galla Placidia,Basilica di San Vitale, and Dante’s Tomb.

Dante’s Tomb

We said good-bye to our knowledgeable city guide.  She hugged some of us.  Then we went to a small restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious lunch which included appetizers, Sangiovese wine, pasta, and dessert.

Dessert

After lunch we saw artists making pictures with mosaic tiles.  A woman explained the process from purchasing, to cutting, to attaching them to a base.  It was fascinating to see artists making commissioned pieces for clients.

We then walked back to the train station, and we boarded the train twenty minutes later.  It had stopped raining after we toured the first church, and skies were clear for the rest of the day.

Alessandro and me

Linda

View from my room on the third floor, Hotel Porta San Mamolo

This morning after my delicious breakfast of hot chocolate, tangy peach juice, scrambled eggs, ham, cheese, yogurt, orange slices, and a chocolate-filled croissant, we went on a walking tour of Old Bologna. We had a female city guide who told us about the history of the old Catholic church and the university library as we toured them.

The two towers of Bologna

Then Alessandro took us to a specialty tortellini restaurant where we sat outside under umbrellas, and we tasted two different kinds. I liked the one with lemon in the sauce best. We stayed for lunch, and Linda and I split two orders. One had the lemon sauce and the other had a bolognese sauce. Through the window we watched a young woman making tortellini. It takes quite a bit of time to make this fresh pasta.

Tortellini making

This afternoon, Linda and I walked to the Music Museum. We were given audio handsets in English to guide us through the museum. Bologna was named the UNESCO City of Music in 2006. The rooms were full of original manuscripts of operas and other musical works by the likes of Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, and many others. It was fascinating to see these old manuscripts and books under lighted glass cases. We enjoyed recordings of some of these works through the headsets. Many beautiful old instruments were displayed as we walked through the galleries.

In another room we saw a special display. The gallery was featuring about half a dozen paintings created by a famous opera singer, Francesco Tricarico.

After this, Linda and I strolled back to our hotel: Hotel Porta San Mamolo. On the way back, though, we stopped at Alessandro’s favorite gelato shop. We each got cones with three flavors of this delicious gelato. I had strawberry, one similar to French vanilla, and vanilla with tiny chocolate chips in it. Yum!

Currently I am relaxing in my room for a couple of hours. This evening after 7:15 we will have lasagna for dinner, according to Alessandro. In Italy, people have dinner later than we do at home. That is why their breakfasts are not as heavy as a typical American breakfast.

Later….

Dinner tonight was delicious.  The restaurant which was near the hotel served our table of eight three bottles of delicious Sangiovese.

We were able to get a little sleep before we left for the Mumbai airport at 11:30 P.M. last night. A car from the hotel took us to the airport, and we were shown where to go. I find it interesting that only ticketed passengers with ID and guides with permits are allowed to step inside the terminal. Each piece of carry-on luggage has to be tagged, even cameras, purses, and laptops.

After going through stricter security where everyone gets a free massage, then waiting at the gate, we finally boarded the Lufthansa plane. I again had a window seat, and Paul had an aisle seat. Unfortunately, the plane was full, so a young woman took the middle seat. I watched three excellent movies during this 9-hour flight to Frankfurt:
Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick – The Accountant

Emily Blunt and Haley Bennett – The Girl On the Train

Leonardo di Caprio – National Geographic – Climate Change
We had a 7-hour layover which was longer than planned because our connecting flight was two or three hours late. When it arrived, they had to refuel and clean the plane, and put baggage and catering aboard.

It was tiring to wait.  We managed to find an Italian airport restaurant where Paul and I each bought a slice of Ham, Mushroom, and Cheese Pizza.  As we waited at the gate, I envied a young woman who could actually sleep during this wait.

When we finally boarded the next flight, no one sat in the middle seat!  The entertainment system on United Airlines doesn’t begin to compare to foreign airlines and Delta’s international flights. There were overhead screens placed in a few spots, and everyone had to watch the same movies. The free wifi wasn’t working, so other entertainment couldn’t be accessed. That made the 11 1/2 hour flight seem even longer. The lunch food was the best airline food that I had eaten on a plane during this trip. I also managed to sleep for a while!!! That is a first.  

As we approached San Francisco, the cumulous storm clouds were very impressive. I love to take cloud pictures, and these show what it was like to be above the storm.  

When we landed, I called Kevin. He said he was at home and the roads were closed. He had made a hotel reservation at The Vagabond Inn near the airport. Their shuttle picked us up and took us to the hotel. Linda called just after we landed, and told me that since Joy is out of the country, she was calling to tell me about the hotel. Joy sent a message to my iPad with the hotel reservation information. I am so pleased that our family works so well together to help each other when needed.  We have a first floor room.  We can look out the window and see the water and airplanes landing and taking off from SFO.