To My Husband from Italy with Love

Unfortunately, the field of medicine doesn't leave my husband a lot of time for vacation. So, in an effort to share my upcoming travels with my beloved Dr. Science, I'll be blogging from Italy.

I really invited myself along on this trip, though I claim I am coming to my best friend's rescue. The plan was to save her from her boredom while her husband works in Europe. Almost as soon as the word "Italy" came out of her mouth, I began to dream of the quaint towns, the ancient ruins and the Renaissance art. With the husbands hard at work--one in the U.S. and one in Europe--I'll be spending eight days living "la dolce vita" in Italy.

To my husband:
Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere alone or talking to strange Italian men. I fully intend to make friends with nuns, learn Italian and improve my knowledge of European history so I can beat you in Trivial Pursuit. Yes, I will probably be getting my fill of Italian pasta, wine and gelato. But I will bring you back a taste, too. To sweeten the deal, I'll describe my adventures here.

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Discovering the Real Italy

April and Stephanie hit the streets of Sacile with me for the colorful bounty of market day in the city center. This is the Italy I had been waiting for. We discovered a casual version of Italy where everyday life looks beautiful--full of color, sweet smells and personality. Market Day It was market day in Sacile and the town's streets and squares were full of fresh produce, specialty foods and an amazing selection of discount shoes, clothes, purses and home goods. To the locals, it's just the day of the week for the shopping done all on foot in the center of town. But for three American girls, it was an adventure for the senses with a discovery around every corner. The sweet smell of cheeses filled the air near one stall while the fresh smell of flowers filled the air near another. Hearty salami hung casually on display next to a colorful array of fresh fruits and vegetables. Senior-aged men grouped together in small huddles in the center of the cobblestone street...

Mummies, the Chunnel and the Hungry Man

The British Museum lobby. It was our last day in London and we spent half the day in the British Museum. Surrounded by relics and other items the British literally swiped from other countries, the museum chronicles all of civilization -- from ancient to modern. The Rosetta stone is even housed here. The best part is the impressive collection of Egyptian mummies. One of the mummies even has red hair still on his head (creepy, yet interesting). Archeologists nicknamed him "Ginger." I'd love to see what this redheaded Egyptian looked like alive. Swiped from the Parthenon. There are also tons of reliefs and statues from the Parthenon in Greece. There are so many in the museum, you have to wonder if there are any ornaments left on the actual building. British officials literally sawed the statues off the Parthenon claiming they were helping to preserve them, because the Greeks weren't. The Chunnel Later that evening, we took a two-hour train ride to...

Tea & Politics

The afternoon tea spread. Taking afternoon tea at home may be a little frumpy, but in London it's timelessly cool. In South Kensington, we relaxed the British way with afternoon tea. As dozens of red, double-decker buses passed by the drawing room windows of The Ampersand Hotel , we sipped gourmet tea and snacked on platters of sweet & savory treats. There were macarons, amazing scones and salmon-stuffed croissants. There was some kind of delicious chocolate-berry cream to spread on our biscuits and pastries I've never seen before. Our "high tea" even came with bubbly. Cheers! What a great way to start our little London & Paris adventure. Funny how sipping tea in a beautifully decorated drawing room makes you feel so downright dainty. We almost felt like sticking our pinkies in the air as we sipped. My Dear Lords ... Big Ben looking majestic at night. The same type of feeling you get sipping afternoon tea is the same type of feeling you get ...

The Travelin' Redhead

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