Snazzy Sportscar that I saw one day...

I found this car in a restaurant parking lot, when I lived in Northern Italy.

I have never seen tire treads like this before.

Look how LOW to the ground this bumper (what bumper, right?) is.... Interesting car and I wondered how it managed to drive in Italy without causing any body damage to the car?   Or maybe, it was rarely driven?

Lunar eclipse in Italy

These photos were taken with my 35mm camera, while I was standing on my front porch, in the tiny town/village that I lived in Italy.

It lasted quite awhile and I think that you can at least 'see' that something is happening?  The shape of the moon does change and you can see a shadow along the sides.  

*You can click on the photos for a larger image too and that will help greatly..

With the upcoming Solar Eclipse event that will be happening on August 21 in America, it reminded me of the time that I saw a solar eclipse when I was living in Italy the first time that I lived there in 1997-2000.

 I was with a friend visiting/shopping in Venice, Italy for the day.  I had totally forgotten about the upcoming solar eclipse, but I noticed that crowds had started gathering in the open piazza areas.  Many people were simply wearing sunglasses or nothing at all...

 I quickly started making us each a 'pin' camera, using my knitting needles that I almost always have with me, so that we could watch the eclipse safely on a piece of paper... then, I noticed a water puddle on the ground.   So, I told my friend to turn away from the sun, and we watched the entire eclipse in a water puddle.   It was amazing to see it that way.

It did get twilight, the street lights came on, and the temperatures dropped.   It was also pretty cool to be able to watch a solar eclipse while in Venice, Italy too.

Market shopping in Italy

One of my favorite things about Italy were all the markets that would be held at least once a week in even the smallest of towns.   Cities, of course, would have several neighborhood market days during the week.

This tradition started hundreds of years ago and you'll still see mention of it or illustrations in old story books and in art work from the past.

It was a way to bring other items for sale to the smaller towns and also for the farmers and other handicrafters to be able to sell what they had made.

For me?  It was a way to get the very freshest fruits and vegetables to eat.

This particular market was on the road between where I lived and the US Army Post where I worked.  It was only about a mile from my rental house.   This particular day was a rainy day.

There will be several people selling fruits and vegetables and often they do not have the same thing-- and sometimes the crowd will be very thick in front of a particular seller's space and that always made me stop and look to see what "I" might also need to notice that they were selling.

You can also buy fresh flowers at a very reasonable price.  I would often do this in the spring time and buy some tulips. The people selling fish and/ or meat had special enclosed cases that were either heated (if the dishes were already cooked) or refrigerated and/or on ice as you can see in this photo of one of the fish vendors. In my little town, of Lerino, every Friday night there was the 'very nice fish man' that was selling a large variety of already prepared fish dishes.  I often bought food from him.       Blood oranges!   My absolute favorite oranges.   This is a different variety than I usually see, because even the outside skin turns red on the sweetest type that I enjoyed every year that I lived  in Italy.  This photo was taken during the spring and towards the end of the blood orange season. The prices are for PER KILO and are in EURO. And, oh my goodness... I never even liked asparagus until I had the bianco (or white) asparagus.   It is covered up by straw/etc. so that the sun doesn't turn it green and the flavor is so delicate and wonderful.  When asparagus season rolled around every spring, the local restaurants and small family owned 'trattorias' would start putting out special signs, in Italian, of course, advertising their special WHITE ASPARAGUS spring dishes. One of my favorite foods is the fresh asparagus risotto.   So good.   And in the spring, at this particular market, were always a couple of vendors that sold plants for the yard or flower pots.  I always bought some from both of them and put them in the hanging balcony rail flower pots.   Guess what is in this bucket? Already 'soaked' beans so that you can start cooking them immediately!   Another one of my favorite foods!   One of my favorite pizzas had olives, marinated artichokes, and prosciutto ham.     And the springtime tulips.

Portofino, Italy

 

When, I lived/work in/at Gaeta, Italy, I often signed up for the MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation) trips on the tiny Navy Base.  However, they would also be cancelled because there wasn't enough participation.  I found out later that some of this was 'because' the military spouses had their own group and would sponsor their own trips-- which simply meant that there often wasn't enough people to support the base hiring a bus/diver to do the weekend trips.

 

After signing up for a few trips and then find them cancelled, I finally went to the local travel place on base and I asked them if there were any areas that I could go to by train.   So, she got me train tickets to go to Postofino, Italy.   I had to take the city bus to the next town to catch a train and off I went, on an adventure, to Portofino, for the next Saturday.

 

It was only about an hour or so away and often there would be views of the ocean out the train windows.

 

When I arrived, I discovered that the train station was above the town.   I disembarked the train and I followed the few passengers that also got off the train.  The views were breathtaking... an Italian harbor town laid out in it's own private cove, different levels of the town as it flowed down to the beach and the ocean.   You could see the sandy beaches, laughing children, ocean waves splashing against the rocks along the edge of the harbor, and there were many sailboats and a few yachts were docked.  

 

 

*I found out later that this is a 'very' expensive, popular place with the rich and famous too.

 

This is the harbor from the water and all my time was spent 'above all' of this area.   I went back to Portofino another time and I arrived by Ferry to the harbor.  I spent the day there and I only stayed in this area. 

 

 

 

 

We walked down steep, narrow steps from the train station area and eventually ended up in a level area, full of places to eat, gelato stores, and amazing hand painted ceramic shops.  It was very difficult to decide what to purchase.   Some of that was because there was JUST SO MUCH to choose from and every shop had their own different artist and styles of painting.  

 

The other factor in purchasing items was... I was going to have to carry it all back up those narrow steps, onto the train, and back home. 

 

 

 

 

I bought this blue serving platter. 

 

 

This was in a gelato shop... this is the front panel of where all the gelato flavors are displayed.

There were a few shops that sold the hand painted tiles that were to be put together like this.  I bought one with the intention of using it 'somehow' when I finally moved back to the states.   I did use it and I had it placed in my guest bathroom, when I had the shower retiled and updated.

Lots of lemons were on the hand painted ceramics... this is an area that grows and produces a lot of lemons.  

 

I enjoyed my visit so much - especially with the unexpected find of all the shops with hand painted Italian ceramics, that I went back another Saturday with a friend before we both moved to new locations in a few weeks.

 

Gaeta Italy

The second time that I lived/taught in Italy was at Gaeta, Italy.  It was right on the ocean about halfway between Naples and Rome.  It was where a tiny USA Navy base was stationed.   The Navy used the Navy Ship in the harbor for most of their needs and the actual 'base' consisted of one small two story (or was it 3 story?) building up the hill/small mountain away from the Navy Ship.

On this 'base' was a bank, the post office, various military offices, and a small shoppette that was the 'commissary/military uniform sales/etc. everything' type of shop.  I bought my groceries at the Italian grocery stores and markets. 

 The school for the American children of the military was not on the little base- it was instead about 3-4 miles away in a small 2 story rented school building.  I taught 3rd grade when I was at Gaeta.

When, I first moved there, I stayed in a hotel in the new part of town.   Across the street from the hotel was a small fruit/veggie store.   They also sold the amazing Gaeta Olives.  Trust me, they are the best that I have ever tasted and are only grown in this area.  I really could take or leave olives until I moved to Italy and got to have the fresh olives to eat.   Now, I love olives.

This is the very HANDSOME Italian man who owned the fruit/veggie store.  He was very NICE too.

In the main shopping area was one of my favorite Pizza places.   I loved it because you could buy the pizza by the slice.   See the one in front with the salad/lettuce on it?  That was a summer type of pizza.  I loved it and my other favorite one was the one that had small cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil drizzled on it. The other pizza places sold the traditional round pizzas- but, this was perfect for me-- just get a slice of pizza and walk and eat.   Of course, they might not have your favorite pizza-- but, you could wait or just get another type because, the pizza is very good in Italy.     The red star shows where Gaeta was located.   I would take the local city bus to the town of Formia to catch the train to go to other locations.  Unfortunately, I was only there for 10 1/2 months.   The school was tiny and got smaller and several teachers including myself were excessed and sent to another location.   It was the most beautiful place that I have ever lived.   Or visited.  I would suggest Gaeta as a place to visit- you can easily get there by train from Rome or Naples/etc.  However, do yourself a favor and do NOT visit during JULY or AUGUST.   Expensive and too many people plus probably not any hotels available anyway?       Gaeta had 2 intact castles and they were still being used by the city/government. One is near the water in the sunshine- you can see the tower, and the oldest one is in front of that one, away from the water, and is in the shadow.      Gaeta also had a huge swimming beach.  This is only about 1/3 of it.  In the summer, the place was packed with Italians on their month long summer holiday.  Here are the US Navy Ships.   Another HANDSOME Italian man.  He was also very NICE and he spoke excellent English because he was married to an American.  He made my wrought iron baker's racks.

Early morning views out my window in northern Italy....

Early morning views from my home in  northern Italy.   To the left of the photo is a vineyard.  It might be visible.   I found the road that goes past the big tree in the middle photo.   It's a beautiful area-- just land and old villas. I like the fog still on the ground in the last photo.   You can also see the vineyard in the last photo.   They are still using the old tree branches in this vineyard.   Most have been modernized with metal pipes to hold the vines upright.  Click on the photos for a larger and clearer view.

I had no idea that this was in my tiny little Italian town

Another day of going down a road and discovering something that you didn't know was there.   This time, it was the road in the main part of the little town (and it's more of a village, not a full sized town) but, this time... I just kept going down the road that curves past the hardware store, and one of the two churches.  

After I rounded the curve... on the other side of the curve I found this huge building... totally unexpected.   The building was so huge that I had to take 2 photos.

Not sure, but it looks like some sort of an old monastery??   I could tell that someone was living in at least one of the doorways (flowers were on the windowsill).   I find this intriguing.   I continued past this and I was just in fields and vineyards.

I just love driving down roads to see what you can find.   Of course, sometimes you find a 'dead end'...

Yes, I take photos of my food in restaurants. I admit it...... I know that I'm not the only one... am I?

Some friends and I went to this amazing restaurant that I had found by driving around, going down roads to see where they'd lead in my neighboring areas.   So, I wanted to go back and eat a meal there to check it out.   I decided that I wanted to check it out for my birthday meal. 

The first course: Home-made Pasta  (look at the little zucchini flower!)   I know most people always get the second course meal- but, I find that the pasta dish is more than enough to fill me up.

*Click on the photos for a larger view...

Home made bread and crackers!   The homemade crackers don't look very fancy but they were tasty!   My friend got an ice cream dessert.   With a piece of dark chocolate added as a topper.   The dash of dark coco powder adds just the right touch.         For my dessert, I ordered Tiramisu.   I love Tiramisu.   I don't like coffee at all- but, I love Tiramisu    In every restaurant in Italy, I am usually tempted to order Tiramisu to see how that place makes theirs.   It is very unique- same ingredients but each recipe can taste so differently..   Sometimes, it is too strongly 'coffee flavored' for me.   But, even then, I like it... I just know not to order it again if I go back to that restaurant.    After my dessert was delivered in a 'cup' ... I had a memory flashback to a few years ago, before when I was still living in Cold, snowy, wintery Germany.  I had gone on a military bus tour trip to northern Italy, in February, for President's Day and to escape the German winter for just a few days.      We stayed in this same area... drove all over, went to Venice by train (which I had done many times but, from a totally different area.)   We had taken the entire group of maybe 55 Americans on the bus for lunch at a huge restaurant, in the middle of nowhere, and we had the best, best Tiramisu that I had ever eaten.  At this time, I had already lived in 2 different Italian locations and I had always tried each restaurant's Tiramisu.   For days, everyone on the trip was talking about the Tiramisu in that restaurant, about how good it was.  Those that had opted not to order the Tiramisu seemed a bit jealous.   However, when I saw the cup of tiramisu, it brought back memories of that trip and tasting the best Tiramisu.   I knew that it would be very unlikely that this was the same place.   How could it be?  We had driven all over this part of Italy for 3-4 days.  Our hotel was not in this area.   And, here I was a few years later, living/working in the same region, and eating at a restaurant that I found by accident... trying to find a short cut to the physical therapy place in a neighboring town.   However, all it took was ONE BITE and I was in Tiramisu heaven.   It was the same place, it was the same most wonderful Tiramisu!   Now, how was I going to stop myself from wanting to stop by daily?  After all, this restaurant is only 1 1/2 miles from my house.   Down, a rural road that I had never had a reason to travel down.   That road, taken looking for a short cut, ended up leading me, once again, to the 'often talked about' best Tiramisu, that I had ever eaten.... 'Tiramisu.'   So, take that road less traveled, turn down a new street, a new turn-off... who knows what you'll find?

I finally found my way back (was it the fog or was life just getting too busy? or something else? OR many things as the reason for my absence?)

Sorry, for my absence.   For awhile... I couldn't use my computer.   Wacky stuff was going on... beyond my 'computer fixing' skills.   My computer was frozen when I finally got it to working.  It was frustrating.  I just left it turned off.   I was finally able to get some help from my 'wonderful' landlord's son.   Who just happens to work with computers for his job.   Then, the school world got busy... 'report card' time... meetings, life, and getting so tired that you wake up tired... makes one not have time to do a blog.   Lately, I've been waking up at 4:00am- 4:30am... I try for 4:00am- but, I just hit the snooze button too many times at 4:00am.  I am trying to go to work early to do things that need to be done there.   At home, I try to clear out many of my possessions now that my knee is better and I can manage to do so.   I have also had to drive to the nearest other military base (where I used to live 1997-2000) on Saturdays.  I've driven there 2 or 3 times so far.  I have to go back one more time.   It is an hour and half away.   One way.   Why did I have to go back so many times?   I'm going to the wrought iron man who made my table base and 4 wrought iron chairs many years ago when I lived there.   The first time, I had brought some images that I had printed off of the Internet to show him what I wanted (he speaks NO English).   I want something to put my cookbooks on-- and maybe some of the heavy Polish Pottery baking dishes on the bottom shelves?   The first time, we got things taken care of... 'to a degree'... but, I had to go back the following Saturday... to take the final width measurement and one of my tiles with me so that he could make the tile rack in the back to fit 'what I should have in storage' my hand painted tiles of Gaeta, Italy.  That is where I lived when I lived down south at the beginning of the Amalfi Coast.  I had this place paint our little area's coast line view (we looked like a dragon laying down in the water)... I paid for it- but, I didn't discover this little shop until a week before I moved and the guy needed 2 weeks to complete the project.   Someone was supposed to mail it to me-- but, I'm not sure that that 'ever' happened.   Many of my things are still in storage in the states.   BUT, just in case.. I wanted to have the 'tile rack' added to the back of the wrought iron bookcase.   I guess that if I don't have this scenic hand painted scene... that 'oh my' ... I might have to travel to the southern coast of Italy to get another one made?   Here's what my current 'baker's rack' with the hand-painted tiles of:  Positano    looks like on my baker's rack.   I had this baker's rack made for me when I lived in Gaeta.   A guy near Naples made this baker's rack for me.   My new one will be more like a book case (but, I wanted the tile rack added and no marble- it's more expensive and makes it heavier) but 'in' the same style as the baker's rack.  I finally decided on 4 shelves instead of 5.   So, it won't be as tall... but, it will be OK.  I had to be able to haul it home w/ my Jeep.   Ignore the mess... It was photo time 'no' time to clean things up beforehand.  TO the right are my recycle trash cans- so, be glad that they aren't showing in the photo!   That's Italian green marble for the shelves.  I love the color of it.   I don't mind the marble on shelves-- but, marble stains easily and I wouldn't want it on the counters... Pretending I could afford marble counters, that is. This was the view from the train station from the top of the hill the first time that I saw this town along the coast.  It was beautiful.   They also are famous for hand-painted ceramics.   Some of the things in the photo are from there... and/or from other regions of Italy. I loop my aprons along one of the hoops on the side.  It works out perfect.