Onward to 2012

The New Year promises much: The London Olympics, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and the possibility of the election of a new U.S. President amongst them. As an OAP now, I'm pretty much protected from the vicissitudes of the economy - a considerable Blessing. But in the U.S. if not in Europe even things in that realm may improve a bit in 2012. So I think we are justified in enjoying New Year's Eve and looking forward to the New Year.

Winter in September in North Devon

I'm just back from afew days in Westward Ho! on the North Devon coast. Quite a fun little resort town with some good restaurants. But the Sun was never in evidence - unlike the wind and rain! I was there last about 25 years ago, and I don't recall the weather being any different then. I now get the message. No more trips there EVER!

Libyan Spring

I'm sitting here watching pictures from Tripoli as rebels enter Gaddafi's compound. While we should rightly be concerned about what happens in Libya post-Gaddafi, we should celebrate the Libyan people's courage and tenacity - and the support of NATO which firstr saved Benghazi and has now enabled the fall of one of the world's most unpleasant (and crazy) dictators. Nicolas Sarkozy and (even more perhaps) David Cameron deserve great credit for this. They got a reluctant U.S. on board, they got the necessary resolution through the U.N. Security Council, and then put together a coalition to degrade Gaddafi's firepower whenever and wherever needed. Syria, Iran, and Venezuela need to be liberated by their people now.

Captain America

This film opened in the U.K. today, and I saw it this mor5ning. I can highly recommend it - good writing, strong cast, and fascinating story.

A Year to go to Olympics

Having finally acquired a pair of tickets to an event in the Olympic Park (only hockey, but never mind), I'm actually looking forward to the London Olympics. There's the predictable British cynicism, but I think these Games will be well run and people-friendly. Transport will doubtless be a challenging problem, but fortunately we're a 45 minute straight journey on the Central Line to Stratford. Now all we need ius some decent weather a year from now!

Todays' trip to the new M&Ms World in London!

Back to "reality" (Days 13 & 14)

On our last day in Tuscany, we asked our hotel if we could stay until about 5:30 PM, as our train back to Paris didn't leave from Florence until 10:00 PM. We were moved to a different room, which was fine. Pauline used the time to walk down the Promenade to the harbor and walk out to the end of the mole.

At just after 6:00 PM, we got a train to Florence and spent a couple of hours in the train station until the Palatino arrived (on time!) from Rome. We had dinner from McDonalds, and it was delicious! Several beggars about though, but also a small brass band surrounded by a large group of men singing German(or Austrian?)songs. We never found out who they were, but they certainly entertained us during our wait.

We boarded the train and our beds were already prepared for us. I slept better on this trip than the previous one, so I felt pretty good when we arrived in Paris at 10:48 the next morning. A taxi ride took us to the Gare du Nord and the eurostar back to London arriving at 2:30 PM. Pauline called our local cab company to pick us up, so we didn't have to deal with our very heavy and bulky bags on public transport.

It was a wonderful trip, and we're so glad we did it. I highly recommend a similar trip to anyone who loves art and the joys of Italian culture.

Lucca (Tuscany Day 12)

On the 27th we took another 40 minute bus ride to Lucca. It's a fascinating largely Medieval town still surrounded by its 16th Century walls. We went to San Martino Cathedral, peered up at Torre del Guinigi with the trees on top, and had lunch at a cafe in the Anfiteatro Romano (the shape left by the now vanished Roman amphitheater). Then we walked along part of the walls until it was time to catch our bus back to Viareggio.

That night we did our final packing for our departure the next day.

Enjoying the resort (Tuscany Days 10 & 11)

On the 25th and 26th we gave ourselves over to enjoying ourselves by the seaside. Viareggio has an excellent atmosphere, and the great majority of the visitors were Italians.

On Wednesday we picked up our first English paper of the trip, Pauline discovered the daily market, and in the evening we went to see the Pirates movie again, but this time in 3D and Dolby Surround sound . . . and in Italian! It was great fun, with a very responsive Italian audience.

We finally got to the beach on Thursday. The beach is very organized, with only the tiniest bit at the end for free. Our hotal had a deal with one of the dozens of beach bathing establishments, so we got a discount for a day's use of a designated pair of lounge chairs, a director's chair, a sun bed, and a beach umbrella. It was too early in the season to be busy - except for the seemingly endless stream of vendors walking up to us trying to sell stuff, and some not wanting to take No for an answer.

Afterwards we had dinner in our room and played Gin Rummy.

Pisa (Tuscany Day 9)

On the 24th we took the 40 minute bus ride to Pisa. The Campo dei Miracoli (the Baptistry, Duomo, and leaning Tower) was just stunning. It was hard to take in that I was actually seeing it "live". The thing that surprised me most I think was how much I liked the interior of the Duomo, which was begun in the 11th Century.

After we got back and rested awhile during the heat of the afternoon, we had a wonderful dinner at Ristorante Olivieri (fish for Pauline, veal for me).

To Viareggio (Tuscany Days 7 & 8)

Getting the morning bus to Viareggio (about an hour and a half ride) was a real adventure. No information given to any of the big crowd waiting. When bus doors opened (very late), it was a free for all, with us non-Italian speakers not knowing what was going on. There definitely looked to be more people than seats - which there were! Pauline got on early and saved a seat for me, while I tried to make sure our luggage would be loaded on the bus. After all that, it turned out they allowed standing room so we all got on OK. But it was a bit unnerving.

The bus trip was uneventful, and when we alighted we walked the 10 minutes or so it took to get to the Hotel Katy. Our balcony room was ready so we checked in - a neat balcony with a wicker table and chairs and a view of the beach. After unpacking we took a more leisurely walk along the very long Promenade and had lunch and later dinner at a couple of the largely outdoor cafes that proliferated along the way.

Next day (the 23rd) we did some important stuff: we took our laundry to be washed, found the nearest Supermarket, and visited the Tourist Info office to find out about getting to Pisa and Lucca. When it cooled off a bit, we walked along a different part of the Promenade.

The Gardens (Tuscany Day 6)

On our last full day in Florence, I spent most of the day lying on the bed and packing. I was just worn out. That means there are definitely some places I still want to see, meaning I hope to go back one day (eg. The Bargello museum, San Lorenzo church, San Marco monastery).

Pauline was much more mobile and walked to the impressive Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace.

In the evening we took one last walk around and then finished our packing for Viareggio.

Here, there, and everywhere (Tuscany Day 5)

In the morning of the 20th, we went together to the Galleria dell’Academia, which holds among many other things the original of Michelangelo’s David and his Four Prisoners.

Afterwards we split up. Pauline went to the Palazzo Medici Riccardi (home to the Medici in the 15th-16th Centuries) and the Palazzo Vecchio (including a special exhibition of Damien Hurst’s diamond skull).

I went to the the Duomo museum and then to the Tuscan Archaeological Museum, with it’s wonderful collection of early Etruscan artifacts and surprisingly good collection of pre- and early Dynastic Egyptian objects and pre-Classical Greek items.

In the evening we went out to dinner at the outstanding dei Frescobaldi just off the Piazza della Signoria.

Church, Palace, and Pizza (Tuscany Day 4)

The 19th took us to Santa Croce, a lovely Gothic church with beautiful Cloisters and filled with the tombs of extraordinary men, including Galileo, Michelangelo (with Pauline), and the one I’m posing in front of . . . Machiavelli. There’s also a Cimabue Christ on the Cross damaged by the terrible floods of 1966.

Then, while Pauline went for a walk I went over the Ponte Vecchio to the Pitti Palace (the home of the later Medici rulers) and some of its many museums.

In the evening we took a walk to the Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.