My Last Day In Florence

As most of you know,I am actually home now. I got home late Thursday night and have been holed up in my room. I left my cell phone in Italy, so I don't even have that! It is nice, though. I have been relaxing and unpacking, trying to get my schedule back to normal (currently it is 4:30 in the morning). There are things that make this homecoming wonderful: family, friends, CHRISTMAS, and work. However, I cannot deny that I am very sad to be away from Alex. I cannot believe my trip is over. We spent 1 year and three months waiting to be together again, anticipating my trip. Now, it is over and I am left not knowing when I will see him again. It is very hard for me to do this again. I know we will survive, but I am ready to be with him for good.

My last day in Florence was somewhat uneventful I ran around doing last minute Christmas errands and packing. Alex was so amazing with all of his help and support. As I ran around, I took a lot of pics, despite the cloudy, cold day.





Being my last day, of course I had to eat some of my favorite things. First, we started with a Kebab Piadina. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned this, but Kebab places are very common in Florence. We like to get what is called a Piadina. It is like a big tortilla wrapped around beef from a big kebab, like the kind of meat you get in a Gyro. Then they add add lettuce, tomato, onion, hummus, taziki, french fries, ketchup, and hot sauce. Then it is all wrapped up, like a big burrito. It may not be Italian food, but it is simply delicious! We have a specific place we like to go to called Paniteca Babilonia. They guys who own it are Turkish and very nice.

Getting my Last Kebab
(It looks a lot bigger in the photo. Remember, the camera adds 10 Lbs)

After lunch, everyone has to have their coffee. I got mine from our favorite bar next to the shop called Bar La Badia. The owners are Antonio and Maria Antonia. They are wonderful friends and have great coffee. Here I am , enjoying my last Bar La Badia Cappucino:


For dinner, Alex and I had our last date for a while. What better place to do that than Acqua al'Due. It was a bitter sweet night. I was so thankful to spend this last wonderful evening with him. I was especially excited because it was a Wednesday and Alex and I, through rigorous study, have determined that the Wednesday night chef makes the best port sauce. It is the richest, spiciest version. While we tried AGAIN to get the recipe out of the waitress, she would not budge. I am now committed more that ever to figuring it out!

The Last Insalata Greca


The Last Canneloni al Marscapone e Funghi
(which by the way is a new fav and absolutely to die for)


The last, sniff sniff, Petto did Pollo al Porto
( I am pretty sure the heart shape is no coincidence)


The Last Picture of Us.... For now

And of course a delicious dinner would not be complete without the perfect last Italian dessert... Cookies N' Cream Gelato from our place, Gelateria dei Neri.



We capped off my day with a trip to the 24 hour Pharmacy to get some needed items for the plane. This is no ordinary Farmacia, let me tell you. They do not keep the store open 24 hours. There is actually a little hole in the outer door. So, you ring the bell and the pharmacist comes on the speaker and asks what you want. You place your order and wait. Eventually, the little door opens and a hand reaches out for your money. Once you have paid, the hand comes out again with your meds. It is pretty funny, I have to admit, and to a passer-by who does not know any better, it looks a little shady!

Gettin' The Money Ready


Gettin' The Goods

Fianlly, we returned home for some last minute packing and time together. It was hard to sleep, imagining the LONG journey ahead. By morning, the rain had come. As I crossed over Ponte Le Grazie, our bridge, I saw the Arno had risen tremendously. I felt as though I was definitely leaving Florence at the right time. It would not be the first time I have left Italy as waters rose. In 1997, we left Lake Como as the flooding came. If we had stayed one more day, who knows what would have happened. The same was true for this journey. While Florence has not flooded yet, the river has been dangerously high. Flooding can be a huge problem and is a somewhat recent history for Florentines, reminding them of the 1966 flood that devastated the city. There has been, however, flooding in Rome with many deaths.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/13/italy.bad.weather/


So, as I left Florence, it was cold and sad. The goodbye at the airport was the hardest I have ever experienced. People stared at me as I cried and I wondered, "Don't people ever cry in airports?" I took off safely and made it to a beautiful, snowy Zurich. There were huge, puffy snow flakes falling, and it was peaceful. The rest of my journey was very smooth and I am lucky to be home safe and sound.

I hope you have enjoyed my journey along with me. It has been a pleasure sharing this trip with you all, and I am so thankful for your emails and comments. My goal in writing all of this is to give you the experiences I have had that maybe you have not, or that you can relate too. Please stay tuned for a post coming called "Michelle and Alex' Best of Italy." I will be compiling a list and contact info of all Alex and My's favorite spots in Florence. This way, if you ever get to Florence, you will know exactly where to go for a good time. There are so many restaurants in Florence, it is hard to decide. I hope I can be your guide.

Buona notte e buona fortuna!

Tutto A Mezzo Prezzo

These are four beautiful Italian words that any girl loves to hear: Everything at Half Price. These words are especially great when they are posted in the window of a shoe store!

One of my new favorites in Florence is a shoe store called Peluso. The shoes are beautiful, but very reasonable...especially at half price. So, my reminders of this trip to Florence will be shoes. I won't tell you how many I got, but I assure you they are gorgeous and I really did not have to spend much at all. Grazie Mila!

Historically, Italian Shoes are admired and loved around the world. This can only be expected from a country shaped like a boot! Italian boots are especially gorgeous, and really hot right now. I am pretty sure that everyone at this point in time is required to have a pair of skinny jeans and a pair of beautiful leather boots to go over them. It is like an Italian uniform. Luckily, I fit in just fine, as I brought a pair of boots and skinny jeans. Phew!

And the men's shoe, aye aye aye. They are gorgeous! It is no secret that elite Italian men take their wardrobe VERY seriously. They are usually seen wearing gorgeous leather shoes, a suit, a funky shirt for a little flare, and a beautiful tie. They certainly dress in a way that most men I know would never even think of. However, I think they dress quite interestingly...... quite fun.

Summer Suit

A Typical Pair of Men's Italian Leather Shoes

This is an amazing time for shopping in Italy for many reasons. One, it is right before Christmas, so everyone is offering as many deals as they can to get customers in, get cash fast, and clear their inventory. The sales after Christmas are even more phenomenal. Alex actually does all of his shopping once a year, right after Christmas. He can get 4 gorgeous men's shirts for 50 Euro, sweaters galore, and the suits... do not forget about the suits! He has a really nice wardrobe, but only by taking advantage of the rock bottom prices offered after Christmas.

So it you are planning a trip to Italy and want to shop, I recommend going in December or January, but only if you can handle the cold. I guess if you are too cold, you can just buy a jacket ;-)

Ciao!

Christmas in Firenze

I absolutely love being here in Florence during this time of year. Christmas has been slowly coming out for the past two weeks or so and now it is here! There are lights everywhere, Christmas Carols on the radio, roasting chetnuts on the street, and Christmas fairs galore.

We have especially been enjoying the German Christmas Fair that is being held in Piazza Santa Croce for almost the entire month of December. We have been eating Bratwurst, Mozart chocolates, and a new found treat that we have decided to call a Tube-Nut.





My dad named it a Tube Nut because it is a long tube with a hole in it, like a Dough-Nut. So, they take this dough and wrap it around a wood shaft and heat it over the fire to form a crispy tube they cover with chocolate, sugar, cinnoman and sugar, walnuts, coconut, or just butter. Don't forget the Nutella dipping sauce!

Makin' Tube Nuts

My favorite part about Christmas in Florence is the Christmas lights! They are everywhere. Almost every street has a canopy of lights above, allowing you to walk under a street of stars. Each street has a different design to their lights. My favorite are the long drippy ones... no wait, the curtains.... oh who knows. It is all gorgeous!


There is also an abundance of Christmas trees. One of the main streets has huge planter boxes in the middle of it filled with Christmas tree landscapes. There is also a huge tree in Piazza Della Repubblica and one all the way up in Piazzale Michelangelo. I haven't seen it yet, but I can see it everytime Alex and I walk home. I can tell it is HUGE by how it looks standing next to the bronze David up there. I hope to see it in the next few nights before I leave.

Alex and I in Front of the Tree in Piazza Della Repubblica


Dad Enjoying a Christmas Light Walk


Throwing This in For Lance: I Guess This is How They do Lights in Italy
THEY NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

So yes, you heard me right. I am leaving very very soon. I cannot tell you how sad I am to leave Alex, but I am also very thankful to come home and be with my family and friends for the Holidays. I truly miss my work and am ready to be productive and start planning Alex's journey to the US.

I have had many people ask me when we will get married and what the plan is, so I would like to share that with you all. Alex and I have hired a lawyer and while I have been here, we have been working on getting all the necessary documents together. At this point, we have all we need and when I return to the US, I will submit everything to the lawyer, who will then send it off to wherever it goes. I have been told the process can take 4 months to two years! Our lawyer is thinking more like 5-9 months. After he is granted the Visa, he will have 6 more months to come into the US.

So, as far as wedding plans.....I have no clue. We cannot really plan until we know when he will be here. So, I think 2010 is a safe bet. Coincidentally, my cousin Jillian in Wichita got engaged the day before Alex and I, so it looks like our family will be celebrating two weddings in 2010. Congrats to Jilly!

I hope all of you are doing well and gearing up for the Holidays. This is my favorite time of year and I am so lucky to be able to share my time and stories with you all. I will do my best to plug out a few more posts before I go, but I do have some fun ideas for follow up blogs about Florence once I come home.

Ciao for now!

Not All Rainbows and Butterflies

I would like to start out this post by saying that what follows is not an attempt to complain or feel sorry for all of us. I simply want to relay the details of the worst day ever as comedic releif because I am not sure you can really believe all of these things happened in one day.

This past Wednesday was a sad day because Jennifer, Cristian, and Little Stella left us. Alex is still distraught and misses his little Bella Stella. No longer do we here her little voice saying, "Ciao! Ciao," and the smacking sound of her blowing kisses are sorely missed.

We got off to a tiny bit of a late start to the airport, so getting into the cab and off was so hurried and frantic. I decided to go with them to help them unload and what not. The cab ride to the airport was simply frightening! The driver ignored stop signs, drove through tour groups on streets where cars are not even allowed, and at one point I was certain the giant bus was going to ram us into the Arno. We all pretended not to notice and let on to each other that we thought this first car ride in 2 weeks would certainly be our last.

However, we made it safely to the airport, only to be greeted by a HUGE line for their flight to Frankfurt. Two hours we waited. I stayed with them to help manage Stella, her stroller, the baby seat, and their three large bags (not mentioning various carry-ons). Travelling with a baby bear is no easy task. So, two hours we wait in line and FINALLY get to the front. At this time the flight has already been delayed 20 minutes and is now supposed to take off in 30 minutes. Everyone is tense.

Now, the tension grows. I was watching the stroller far back from the counter, but by the way Jenn's head was shaking, I knew something was very wrong. I waited 20 minutes while they sorted out the problem and then they came to me and told me what was happening. Stella's flight had been changed and she was supposed to have boarded a plane to Munich that would then take her to SF, while her parents were to take the flight to Frankfurt (which was now cancelled due to fog on a day in Florence when it was SUPPOSED TO BE SUNNY!) Now, maybe I am crazy, but I am pretty sure 1.5 year-olds cannot fly without a parent or guardian.

So, they had to board a bus to Bologna, catch a flight there to Frankfurt, spend the night, and then fly out the following day, together, to SF. I felt so bad for them and I am sure they will think long and hard about travelling this way again!

MEANWHILE!!!! I finally get home to find that Alex and the rest of the family have been dealing with a tiny crisis of their own. You see, just before leaving for the airport, the power went out in the apartment. We assumed it was a simple blown fuse or whatever. Actually what happened is that our landlord, Pick (yes, Pick) Dei did not pay the power bill, so it was shut off. We found this out because Alex finally went into the mailbox downstairs that was always open and had mail falling out of it. Turns out, the box belongs to Pick. SO, he tore through the mail and found the power bill. He ripped it open to see that it had not been paid on its Nov. 11 due date. I guess in Italia, opening other people's mail is no felony!

He called the agent, Felice, and said if we could not get the power on, they were to put us up in 2 suites at the Hotel Bernini ( http://berninipalace.hotelinfirenze.com/?source=googleh ). So, Felice called, of all people, Pick's Mamma. You see, little Pick was on vacay and had taken the cash we used to pay for the apartment to go luxuriate God knows where. So, Mamma Dei andiamoed herself to the pay the bill. In Italy, it takes two days to turn the power back on, but they were able to switch the power from his other apartment in the building to this one. Currently we are expecting a shut off of phone and internet.... when's it gonna come? Luckily, Mom and Dad leave tomorrow.

On top of all his, Dad got sick the day before and has pretty much been out of commission. We had to skip our trip to Pisa and he is spending his last day here in bed. Please think of him and hope he has a safe, comfortable journey home.

So, by afternoon, things had settled down and we were able to enjoy the evening. The German Christmas fair started that day, so we went to look at homemade items and eat homemade strudel and bratwurst. We had a chance to walk and look at Christmas lights it the FREEZING cold. It was a good ending to a frantic day and we all had a chance to count our blessings and realize how much we appreciate the ones we love. Now Mom and Dad are definitely sure that Alex is awesome, as he helped us through the drama we could not have handled on our own. Can you imagine Charlie opening someone else's mail? Yeah, right.

Our Last Supper

On Tuesday night, my mom decided to make a wonderful dinner for all of us to eat in the apartment. Jenn and Cristian had to pack and prepare for their journey the next day, so Janeille spent the day gathering special items around Florence and preparing a truly amazing dinner.

In honor of Alex's love of Potatoes, she made the best twice baked potatoes I have ever had. She accompanied these with creamed onions, steamed artichokes (Gianni says it it impossible to eat steamed artichokes..."You simply cannot do it!"), and the most beautiful veal chops ever, prepared alla Gianni. Last night we actually ate at Gianni's and I was raving about Janeille's meal. Then mom, my mom, queen of the kitchen, had to listen to his 5 minute lecture about how you do not steam or boil artichokes...period. We about died laughing inside ourselves.



As we all sat around the table, enjoying a fabulous dinner, it dawned on me that it was the last meal we would be eating, all together for a long time. It made me utterly sad to think we will be leaving our newest family member behind in Italy for a time, but I was also glad because we were all together and very happy. I cannot wait for that to happen again.

A Middle Eastern Feast

Alex and I decided it was our turn to make a beautiful dinner for the family. For those of you who do not know, Alex is Iraqi, but has lived in Italy for many years. His family lives all over the world, and he knows alot about language and interesting food. We were honored to have him make us his famous Biryani and Baumyay (spelling is completely wrong, I am sure).

Biryani is typically an Indian dish, but his is an Iraqi version made with rice, chicken, peas, onion, potatoes, and a blend of special spices. All of Alex' cooking includes intricately blended spices that his mother makes and sends to him. He also has a huge jar of something called Lemon Duz. I have no idea how it is made, but basically they do something to the lemon to make it evaporate and crystallize, producing tiny crystals with an intense sweet, lemony taste. He uses it to flavor soups and sauces. AMAZING!

The Baumyay is a stew of lamb, okra, tomatoes, and more special spices. It was all delicious and took him hours to make. He is truly a patient chef and enjoys it so much. You can imagine that Mom and him get along very very well, especially in the kitchen. I do hope you can all taste some of his cooking when he finally is able to come to the US. He cannot wiai to cook for you all.

A Wonderful Thanksgiving

Dearest Friends and Family. I know I am lagging in my posts, but it has been a packed week. For those of you who did not read my last post, "I do Love Le Cinque Terre and Thanksgiving," Alex and I have been enjoying our first week of engagement!

Thanksgiving was marvelous. Mom and I scoured the city for a can of pumpkin to make a pie, to no avail. SO, we had to do it the old fashioned way (which is how mom always does it anyway) by buying our own pumpkin to make a pie from scratch. We also made a Rustic Apple Pie. Here is a link to the EASY recipe for that (Originally from Martha Stewart):

http://mollysrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/02/rustic-apple-pie.html

The pumpkin pie came out beautifully, even if we had to be creative with the rolling of the dough.

It was not actually a pumpkin that we used. We found an cool squash at a little stand in a piazza. It was very sweet, but tasty. It took us a long time to find the right spices, but in the end it all worked out and we enjoyed our one piece of Thanksgiving together after dinner at Gianni's. We got all dressed up and were the only people in the restaurant. It was perfect!

I Do Love Le Cinque Terre and Thanksgiving

To my dear friends and family, I am writing to you on Thanksgiving. I am sure many of you will likely not read this until after the holiday weekend. Nevertheless, I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings. For those of you who participated in the 3rd Annual Michael Edward Bratton II Turkey Trot, I applaud you and am so sad to have missed it this year. I hope to see you all out there next year.

Florence has a smell. It just does. It is a smell that is always there and never really changes. It is a mix of benzina, cigarette smoke, expensive parfume, incense, bread, garlic, sometimes the unfortunate smell of the sewer, and leather. I know it sounds gross, but it is simply Florence and a comforting experience of the city that has always been here on my travels from 1997 until now.

But today, as I walked out this morning into the beautiful, sunny, crisp morning, I swear to you..... I smelled Thanksgiving. The turkey, the yams, the pie, all of it was in the air. The feeling was bittersweet. I am a litte sad to be missing our traditional Thanksgiving at home with the same dishes I have eaten every Thanksgiving since birth. On the other hand, I am so happy to be here in Italy with my family and with Alex.... especially Alex.

Tonight we have so very much to be Thankful for. We are finally all together and getting the opportunity to get to know each other. Tonight we will be going to il Baroccio for dinner. The family has taken quite a liking to the place and Gianni is the only one we trust to provide us with a memorable Thanksgiving dinner. It is also a perfect place for Alex and I to be, as it is the site of our first date.

Which brings me to Le Cinque Terre.................


Cristian, Jenn and Stella decided to go to The Cinque Terre for a couple of nights. For those of you who do not know Le Cinque Terre means The Five Lands. They are five small colorful towns on the north western coast of Italy. It is considered part of the Italian Riviera. It is my favorite place in the entire world. I remember the first time I went when I was in high school and I fell in love instantly. Or hotel had a beautiful terrace out back the afforded a view of the sea and the cliffs of one of the towns: Vernazza. I used to sit out there alone and write in my journal. Every time I have been back since, about 7 times, I have managed to sneak into the hotel and visit my hidden terrace. It is my special place.

Alex, Mom, Dad, and I decided to go to Le Cinque Terre for the day to see the sights and do some hiking. We stared by taking the train to the first of the five towns: Riomaggiore. The day was perfect and the ocean swelled with sunlight and aqua blue colors. We hiked from Riomaggiore to the second town, Manarola. The hike was gorgeous and that particular trail was called Via Del'Amore, which means the Road of Love. Unfortunately, there was a lot of grafiti, but I will say this: at least it was all grafiti about love. We found one rock which someone had inscribed with the words: "Alla luce del sole sara per sempre il nostro amore." "In the light of the sun, our love will always be." I thought it was such a beautiful thing to say.

As we left Manorola on foot to walk to Corniglia, Alex and I stopped not to far into the walk to look back at the beautiful view of Manorola on the ocean. It was perfect. And on this spot, Alex got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I told him I would think about it and that I would only do it for 5 euro. Obviously I was joking and of course I said yes.



As you can imagine, the rest of the day was very nice. We finished our walk with mom and dad and met up with the rest of the family in Vernazza. I was a little tired when we got there, but ready for a great lunch.


We had a delicious meal of soup, and antipasti. Mom and I had the Ligurian favorite, Trofie al Pesto. Vernazza is well known for its FABULOUS homemade pesto! After lunch we enjoyed the sun and let Stella see the high tide coming in. The huge ocean waves began to take over the small town, but not before we took some great photos.



Before leaving town, we snuck up to my secret place to take a look. It was exactly the same as it has always been. Nothing seems to change in Le Cinque Terre. And now, it will never change in my heart and will continue to be somewhere very special to me. I have many memories there in very different stages of my life. I am honored to have this new memory there. As everyone walked up the steps to head to the train station, I satyed behind for a minute, alone and thought about all the time that had passed since I had first been there 11 years ago. So much has happened, but I am exactly where I want to be, and I am very Thankful for that.

Chianti and San Gimignano

Yesterday, we all went on a tour of Chianti and San Gimignano. Alex's friend, Dr. Abas Shabib is a tour guide in Tuscany and Doctor of Art History and Tuscan Tourism (Yes there is such a thing as a Dr. of Tourism here in Italy). Abas has a nice big van that fit us all comfortably and we were off.

Dr. Abas Shabib, Our Guide

We started with a drive on the Chianti Road. We stopped in Verezzano in Chianti and traveled to Castellina in Chianti and Monteriggioni. The drive was amazing and we even got to go to some little street markets in some of the towns.

Monteriggioni

The best part about the trip was lunch. Abas took us to a cool little cantina where they produce and sell wine and other products. They provided a lunch of Pecorino, Salami, Chips, Bread with Olive Oil, and Lasagna with Truffle Olive Oil. We got to taste 8 wines and were sure to buy some treats that are being shipped home, including honey with truffles, truffle oil, and vino vino vino. While we did all of this tasting and eating, Stella watched all the kitties around the place and walked up and down the stairs counting all five in Italian, while wearing her Vino Bambino onesie.



After lunch we went to San Gimignano, where Alex and I spent a beautiful day together when we first met. It was so romantic to go back together and share it with our family. Stella loved every minute of the trip!

Look in the center to see the far off towers of San Gimignano

Same Spot, Two Years later

It May Be A Long Hill, But At Least They Are In It Together