Sitting too much as we age?…

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Having spent a lifetime in a constant flurry of activity, it’s been refreshing doing nothing. It’s a skill I’ve had to learn. Tom, on the other hand, has been a role model, quite the expert. I’m not criticizing, just observing.

In our old lives, I seldom sat down during the day, until I’d finally fall on my face after dinner. This changed when I began researching and booking our worldwide travels while sitting in my comfy chair all day with my fingers madly flying across the keyboard. In March 2012, I began writing this blog that ultimately added to my daily “sitting time.”

Since arriving in Tuscany, Italy on June 16, 2013, I’d found myself sitting more than I had during those last seven months in Minnesota.

Sitting was not good for me at that time and it’s not good for me now. Sure, I do my hilly walks which prove to be 30-minutes of strenuous activity. But the remainder of my day has been spent performing low activity household tasks such as cooking and laundry. A considerable amount of time is spent reading, writing, and searching online. Not good for one’s health, all of which are activities performed while sitting.

With no health club within an hour’s drive, I’ve had to accept the limitations of my opportunities to work out and, my motivation has diminished to be as active as I had been in the US, as a retired person prior to March 2012. 

It’s mighty pleasant sitting on the veranda overlooking the mountains, watching the butterflies fluttering about, listening to the birds singing, only occasionally batting off the flies and the bees. The hours can easily tick away.

Don’t we seniors notice a stiffening in our legs and back when sitting too long? Aren’t we all aware that over time, excess sitting will cripple us as we age, causing the tentative steps so familiar to old age? Doesn’t it nag at us that moving around spending less time sitting will keep our step youthful and determined? Yes, to all of these.

Ironically, as I’d thought more and more about this reality during this past year and a half, realizing that even an hour of strenuous working out each day won’t defray the ravages of sitting for the remainder of the day, I stumbled across a book, Sitting Kills, Moving Heals by Joan Vernikos, PHD. I couldn’t download and read it fast enough.

I must admit that guilt was a huge motivator for me to read this book. It’s scientific studies, many of them dry and boring, tempted me to put it down at times, but the guilt forced me to forge ahead. 

It changed everything for me. The mere act of purchasing the ebook made me start moving more frequently.  After all, I’d made the $8.69 purchase (which you can find at any online bookseller). 

Reading the book brought me to the next level, realizing that the mere act of slowly arising from my chair without the use of my arms for support (or working toward this in time) once every 20 or 30 minutes, to a short time later slowly sitting back down, once again without the use of my arms, could greatly improve my level of fitness.

The research Dr. Vernikos extensively manifested as a result of her year’s long studies of NASA astronauts losing muscle mass while in space, even for short periods of time. These studies are astounding, shared in this book. 

Rather than spending hours here retelling the author’s profound years of research, I recommend to all our of senior readers, to please consider this small investment in buying and reading this book that will change the quality of life as we age. (I should mention that we are in no way involved in the sale, the marketing, the profits, or distribution of this book or any other books we’ve mentioned here).

The first few days I started this process, I set the timer on my phone, leaving it in the other room. I had to get up to turn it off. Easy. Now a month later, I no longer need a timer, automatically knowing it’s time to slowly stand and a short time later to slowly sit back down, hands-free. This simple act affects the body in the same manner as if we actually stood for 30 minutes (see location 1231 in the ebook).  It’s all about gravity.

As written in the book, based on scientific research, this simple act is life-changing, definitely worth a read, definitely worth trying, with nothing to lose.

Now, a month after implementing this process, my legs don’t fall asleep, the stiffness has greatly improved and I feel more steady on my feet than ever. Of course, this process may not be possible for some, with serious limitations, but for the rest of us, it’s a small commitment for a huge gain, especially if a daily workout routine is unappealing.

Life is short.  Health and well being not only extend our lives but the all-important “quality of our lives,” allowing us to live life to the fullest treasuring every moment whatever we may choose to do, wherever we may choose to be.

For me, for now, the veranda is all the more enjoyable, no longer feeling guilty about sitting which added a rich quality to the experience. 

Oh, it’s the simple things…

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A European Hornet’s nest was being built by a slew of giant hornets in a crack in the small opening at the top of this photo. These old stone houses are a breeding ground for nests for all types of critters.

While hanging the laundry this week, I heard the loudest buzzing of a hornet that I’ve ever heard,  which apparently was a European Hornet. Following the sound, I looked up to find a nest of giant wasps being built into the high stone wall on the patio. Knowing they were busy building the nest with little time to bother me, I finished hanging the wet laundry, hoping that they were just “looking” to build a nest.  Not the case.

Yesterday, again hanging laundry, their numbers had increased and we knew we had to contact Luca, the owner, and ask for his assistance. If we both weren’t allergic to bees, hornets, and wasps, we’d have taken care of it ourselves. It wasn’t worth the risk.

Contacting Luca by email, within hours we had a response translated to English. “No worry. We come to fix it tomorrow.”

At 10:00 am this morning, Lisa and Luca appeared at the door, with bags of “goodies” to help us, including laundry soap (we’ve supplied our own), cleaning supplies for Santina, items necessary to rid us of the hornet’s nest and “mosquito netting” for covering the windows in the kitchen, living room and master bedroom.  I jumped for joy! 

This en suite bathroom window will now provide a good breeze coming off the mountains at night when the temperature usually drops into the 60’s.

The thought of being able to chop, dice, and cook in the kitchen without bugs biting me made me squeal with delight. Being able to have a window open at night was beyond belief with it cooling down into the 60’s most nights. Having the window open in the living room while playing gin or watching a movie was more than thrilling. Oh, it’s the little things.

Lisa stapled most of the edges of this “mosquito” netting as screens for the windows.  This kitchen window attracted many flies and bees with frequent cooking going on each day.  We’ll keep an eye on it to ensure no gaps leave an opening for insects to enter.  We removed the Ziplock bag to keep flies at bay, moving it to another screen-less window we often keep open.

Lisa and Luca…amazing! As soon as they saw the email stating we needed their assistance with the hornet’s nest due to our allergies, they went to work on a solution making it possible for us to have windows open in this warm weather.

The netting wasn’t quite large enough to use a single piece.  Lisa and I agreed that two well-placed pieces would work on the living room window, close to where we frequently sit on the sofa to play Gin and watch movies.

Now as I write this, the nest is either dead or dying, the windows are covered and we couldn’t be happier.  On top of it all, while they were here working, Santina had placed a large bag of green beans and zucchini on the doorknob when we didn’t hear the doorbell.   Lisa had seen her drop them off, telling me when I questioned who had brought them.

I wish I’d heard her knock on the door when she dropped them off so I could’ve said, “grazie mille” (thank you very much) as I’d said over and again to Lisa and Luca, almost making a fool of myself with gratitude. 

Also, I wanted to thank Santina for the three pieces of “torte” which Tom tried this morning, finding them unusual but delicious. Due to the crusts made with flour, he only ate the insides, to find they were all “‘sweet” pies that one may eat for dessert, although they were made with vegetables. 

It killed me not to taste these. In my old life, those three different pies would have been right up my alley.  I won’t tell her that I couldn’t eat them and possibly hurt her feelings. (She doesn’t go online). But I will rave about the flavor of the pies enjoyed by Tom and the generous bag of the green beans and zucchini some of which we’ll have tonight with dinner.

The flowers are still on the ends of the zucchini, which we’d never see at a grocery store or farmers market.

How I long to bake many of my favorite recipes to share with these wonderful people!  Unfortunately, I can’t find the ingredients to make most American favorites. Maybe I’ll figure out an alternative soon, using the local ingredients. 

It’s the simple things in life that mean so much, isn’t it?
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My razor broke a few weeks ago. There are no less than 20 blades in our luggage that fit my old razor, now useless.  I can’t find a similar razor.  I shave every day. Foolishly, in the US before we left, I purchased a nifty women’s razor from Walgreens, their own brand.  They no longer carry it. 

While in Pescia at the larger grocery store, Esselunga, they were only a few options, mostly disposable razors.  The only non-disposable types were two that had a battery to enable it to “act” as an electric razor. (Had I purchased a larger brand name, I still wouldn’t have been able to find a replacement razor).

I’d be OK with the battery-operated type but they are heavy, not suitable for our luggage plus. Anything with batteries is an issue other than the most pressing items, such as a camera. Every ounce counts!

With no other options, I had no alternative but to purchase the disposable razors. Do I throw away the expensive blades? I guess so. 

During the week-long period when I had no razor, I used Tom’s razor, swapping out a separate blade each day, then putting his blade back. Cumbersome. Glad that’s over.

It’s the simple things. 

Its been over two weeks since I gave up Crystal Light Ice Tea, suffering no withdrawal. I’ve thought about it a few times each day as I sipped on the bubbly bottled water, tiring of it in a few days.  Plain water bores me.

Letting Tom use the remaining Crystal Light until gone allowing me to go “cold turkey,” he guiltily suggested that I make “real” ice tea. You know, tea bags and water.

Unable to remember the last time I made “real” iced tea, we looked online as to how many tea bags to use as opposed to how much water after we’d purchased a box of 50 Lipton teabags for US $2.25 (not a bad price).  It wasn’t easy to find the plain ice tea recipe. 

Who makes ice tea these days with many options available in the grocery stores?  I don’t drink regular soda with its tons of sugar not suitable for my way of eating.  If I did, there are no sugar-free options here, other than Diet 7-Up  and Coke Zero, neither of which I care to drink.

After a frustrating search online including at the Lipton site, I decided to try the suggested one teabag in one liter of water.  Horrible.  Too weak.  Later I added another teabag settling on this recipe:

  • Make 1/2 liter plain water in the coffee pot or teapot for hot water 
  • Drop two teabags in the hot water 
  • Let sit for 1/2 hour at room temperature
  • Remove and toss teabags
  • Add other 1/2 liter cold water
  • Add to taste, Stevia or liquid Splenda
  • Chill until cold, adding ice and lemon to an insulated mug

It’s palatable, although not as good as the Crystal Light.  There’s a little caffeine from the two teabags which is fine.  One could use decaffeinated teabags if caffeine is upsetting.

The 50 teabag box is enough to last for the remaining time we’ll be in Boveglio.  This one-liter container has been lasting for almost two days.

Wherever we may travel we’ll be able to find teabags, water, and ice.  As for the lemon; a cut lemon without preservatives only keeps a day or two in the refrigerator. I said goodbye to the lemon. It’s not worth tossing halves of lemons every few days although I appreciate the fact that the food here has no preservatives. The freezer is our friend, although it already needs to be defrosted again before our next grocery shopping.

Yes, it’s the simple things, the comforts in which we surround ourselves whether living on the road such as we do, packing for a weekend camping trip, or planning for a stay in a hotel.  We tend to gather the familiar items that help us feel “at home” and “at ease” adding to the pleasure of the time away.

Letting go of many of the comfort-related items from our past, embracing new items we’ve incorporated into our lives as replacements while adopting new comforts we’d never noticed or appreciated, is all part of the process of simplifying our lives. 

Ironically, all of this may change when we arrive at a new location.  Ironically, this is also OK with us.

The local traveling Farmer’s Market…

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By the time I walked to the produce truck, it was surrounded by no less than 10 locals residents, anxious to buy their weekly supply of fruits and veggies.

Last Thursday, upon returning from Pescia with enough groceries to last two weeks, there was a produce truck parked across from the lot where we park the rental car.

Locals had gathered around, purchasing their fruits and vegetables. Having already purchased all the produce we needed at the time, it made no sense to make any additional purchases.

Without the use of chemicals on produce to enhance its preservation or ward off insects,, the vegetables we’re purchased seem to spoil quickly, except the cabbage and carrots we use almost daily for our coleslaw. Although we enjoy lettuce salads, we’ve found the lettuce spoils in a matter of a few days whereas the cabbage, if left uncut, may last until we shop again.

It felt awkward taking photos so I did so discretely.  Unquestionably, I was the only tourist in the bunch as I heard the locals chatting on endlessly in Italian.  I did my usual head nodding, hiding my camera under my shirt.

Having used all of the produce we bought last Thursday, we’re now down to only the cabbage, a few carrots, onions, and garlic.With our limited diet, a wide array of fresh vegetables certainly enhances our nutrient intakes but also the degree of enjoyment of our meals. 

Making chow mien a few nights ago, we used cooked cauliflower, cut into pea-size pieces as the base, as opposed to rice or chow mien noodles. It was delicious! Cauliflower can be used as a base instead of pasta, rice, beans, or grain for any meal. It takes on the flavor or the main dish without imposing any special flavor of its own.

Also, with a masher or food processor available, it can be mashed to appear and taste similar to mashed potatoes with the addition of butter, salt, and pepper. Once on the plate, one forgets it’s not potatoes and can enjoy it along with the other items in the meal. Unfortunately, an Irish potato loving guy, Tom’s not sold on this concept. I’ll give him credit for trying.

More fruit than vegetables, I was unable to replenish our supply of cauliflower.

In desperation, we do have a supply of canned green beans on hand. Certainly not a favorite but with no freezer space for frozen vegetables, we’ve had to adjust our objectives to accommodate our current needs. 

(Unsure of the exact arrival time of the produce truck, I kept checking outside to see if it had arrived. Last week, when we returned from shopping it was outside at about 3:30 pm.  Hopefully, the schedule is the same each week.  We shall find out soon enough).

In the US, most canned produce contains tons of highly processed salt. Not adverse to salt, we prefer to add our own Himalayan salt which is not chemically processed. Having used Himalayan salt for years so far it has traveled with us with our determined effort to avoid cooking with commercially processed salts.

In Italy, we’ve found most foods befitting our way of eating to be exactly as nature intended; plain. Of course, the markets are filled with the usual “junk processed foods” although considerably less than we’re used to seeing on the shelves in the US.

The baking section in the aisles is less than five feet wide as opposed to an entire aisle in the US.  If one is hoping to bake a boxed cake mix, there are few, if any options.  We were unable to find unsweetened baking chocolate, necessary to make our allowed “fudge” for an occasional treat. 

Plus, there is literally no coconut in the markets:  no raw coconut, no coconut flour, no coconut oil, further limiting some of our cooking and baking options.

Tonight for dinner; seasoned homemade chicken salad with onions, celery, hard-boiled free-range eggs, and of course, the finest pure mayonnaise we’ve found anywhere, made without chemicals; no HFCS, no sugars, no corn oil, no by-products.

Here’s what I purchased today for a grand total of Euro $4.09, US $5.33.  Prices were better at the grocery store but the freshness and convenience made it worth paying more.

This morning, for an additional entrée for tonight’s dinner, I cooked a pork loin roast, shredding and seasoning it with the fabulous Italian pasta sauce we found without sugar. This is a replacement for the usual sugary barbecue sauce. The end result: some mighty fine tasting “pulled pork,” minus the bun. 

Needing change, I handed the vendor a single bill for Euro $50, (US $65.10), concerned she’d refuse the larger bill.  No problem!  She had a fanny pack filled with money!

Throw our staple, coleslaw, into the mix, a big bowl of “fresh” steamed green beans for a hearty, healthy meal for tonight’s dinner with leftovers for tomorrow night. Yes, it might be an odd combination of items but who’s to say what we “should have” at any given meal? 

At 3:25 Tom saw the produce truck coming down the winding road heading toward our neighborhood. Grabbing my grocery bag, camera, and Euros, I headed outside to the vendor, thrilled I hadn’t missed its arrival. 

It was obvious that a stop to our tiny neighborhood might be toward the end of their route for the day with the resulting several empty bins. But, I was able to find carrots, green beans, and eggplant. This should be enough to last us with what we have on hand to get us through the next several days until we leave on our road trip next Tuesday to grocery shop again.

Going forward, we’ll purchase produce every other Thursday at the market in Pescia, enough to last a week, no longer dealing with spoilage, supplementing with what the produce truck has on hand on the alternating Thursday.  This is a perfect solution to our spoilage issues.

There’s nothing like food and love. In abundance, they fill the belly and the heart, both of which hunger for replenishment, while never losing interest in the in the prospect of the next opportunity to savor in their delights.

Mechanical aspects in our 300 year old temporary home…Many photos include new homemade pizza recipe using local ingredients…

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This paper towel holder is a dowel, a piece of string tied in loops on the ends to be hung on any available hook. Simple and clever.

Today is a full three weeks we’ve been living in a charming 300-year-old stone house, nestled in the mountains among a cluster of other attached homes built centuries ago, into the exquisitely forested and farmed hills and valleys of Boveglio in the Province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.

It’s at about this time, as we’ve become more settled, that we wander about our vacation rentals with a more keen eye observing its quirks and nuances, some of which may be a violation of code in the US and other countries which we find to be unique and interesting. 

More cloth wiring in the kitchen with exposed bulbs over the sink.
The electrical wiring throughout the house is all exposed, using cloth as opposed to the conduit most of us are familiar with as a code requirement in the US and other countries.  We doubt that building/code compliance inspectors travel around inspecting all of these centuries-old properties.
As shown above, in the kitchen, the main source of lighting is these two fixtures over the kitchen table, encased in glass globes. Energy-efficient as the “curly” energy-efficient bulbs we’d used in the US, this particular style takes approximately five minutes to light up the area which can be a little tricky at night.
As the designated cook (Tom’s the dishwasher), I’ve had the most difficultly operating the stove. It’s a newer “made-to-look old” range and oven and there’s nothing wrong with it. 
This hanging plant is used to hide an electrical outlet.
It’s the same a stove type we used in Belize; gas without an automatic pilot.  One has to hold in a button while pushing in the dial to ignite the oven or burner. It sounds easy, but the trick is in the amount of time one has to hold in the button and the dial to keep the burner ignited.  Let go of one too soon and gas is free-flowing without ignition.
I know it’s not rocket science nor does it require an inordinate amount of skill.  For some odd reason, I struggle with this, trying desperately to figure it out on the own without having to ask Tom.  Stubborn, I guess.  On occasion, even he, Mr. Coordinated, has trouble with this.  In several instances, we’ve had to stop, open the screen-less window wide waiting for the gas to clear to later begin again.
These cloth wires are above the small shower and near the sink in the large main bath.
Two things here to notice: One, this is Tom is he’s walking down the long hallway for which he obviously has to duck. Yes, he’s banged his head many times getting me into the habit of saying, “Don’t bang your head!” as he walks to the bedroom.  Two, this is Tom desperately needs a haircut. We’ve yet to find an available barber in any of the villages we’ve visited. His last haircut was in March in Belize for which we wrote a post with photos. Ponytail or shave?  Which will it be?
This doorway to the main bathroom was cut to fit the frame, also low, requiring that I also duck when entering or leaving. 
Another head ducking/banging doorway to a guest bedroom.
Earlier, we’d posted a different photo of access to the patio from the stone stairway. These stone steps, continue down a full flight, making this the most hazardous spot in the house. Although this patio is our new sunning spot and only place to hang laundry outdoors, we spot each other each time we hike up there. No happy hour is to be had on this patio! 
This is an old, now unused wood burning stove (we think unused) in the long hallway.
The uneven multiple steps in the long hallway along with the variety of low ceilings, present an ongoing challenge for both of us. Tom is roughly four inches taller than I am creating a much more hazardous situation for him.
The heating elements for the radiators are behind this hanging curtains in the long hallway. Hmmm….

Also, there are two uneven steps from the hallway into the master bedroom.  We’ve both adopted a habit of reaching around to the wall on the right of the doorway to turn on the overhead light.  This process reminds us of the two steps.

This meter, most likely electrical, is in the interior hallway by the front door.

During daylight hours, we leave the hallway light on all day (the only light that remains on) as a reminder to tread carefully through the areas of steps. At night, we bring our mugs filled with ice water to leave at each of our nightstands and also use the en suite bathroom to avoid the long walk down the hall.

Tom was washing dishes one night while I tended to the laundry. Hearing this box, turn off and on rapidly startled me. I ran upstairs to ask Tom when he told me it an “on-demand” hot water heater. I’d heard of these in the US, but never heard one of them in operation.  In any case, most systems are energy efficient here in Italy.
Also, during the day, we keep the bedroom door, the screen-less windows and shutters closed. These two steps keep the bedroom cool for sleeping and more importantly, keeps the flying insects from flying around our heads at night. 

In our old lives, if our dishwasher or dryer broke down, we’d be in a tizzy for days until an overpriced repairman arrived with a fix.  Now, we chuckle as we hang the wash outside, do dishes by hand, swat flies and bees flying indoors all day, cook food in batches (as opposed to leftovers) with no microwave and look down while bending our heads when we walk around the house.

This green plastic hose could be anything. 
This week, we’ll cook all the remaining frozen meats so we can defrost the tiny freezer before we go grocery shop again.  At this point, the buildup of ice is occupying a third of the space. I can’t recall the last time we defrosted a freezer.
This carved from the stone area inside the main door entry may be the water or gas meter.
 Much to our mutual delight, neither of us complains or whines to each other.  We observe, discovering solutions, and adapt accordingly.  All of these minor inconveniences become a part of the experience, a part of our personal growth as we strive to adapt, and a part of the story we’ll someday tell to anyone who’ll listen, in English, please.
Last night’s yet to be baked homemade low carb, gluten-free, grain-free, starch-free, and sugar-free pizza made with “real” mozzarella (often referred to as buffalo mozzarella in the US) and locally grown ingredients.  The stringiness factor was tripled from the pizza we’d made in the past using “manufactured” bagged shredded mozzarella which we hope to never use again. It was our best pizza ever! I’d cut double the ingredients in order to make another freshly made pizza for tonight with no microwave for reheating. Nothing like two nights of freshly made pizza!

Part 2…It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…Too many photos for one post…See yesterday for Part 1…New chaise lounges…

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Our new chaise lounges on our patio. Later in the day the sun will  be in a better position for sunning. Grazie, Lisa and Luca!

Before we continue with the story of our exploring walk in the neighborhood, I wanted to express how grateful we are to Lisa and Luca, the property owners of our home in Boveglio. They have bent over backwards to ensure our visit is everything we’d expected and more.

 A few days ago, we posted the photo of the cemetery at the church where the larger clock tower is located.  Here again, from another perspective. We had walked for quite some time on the hilly narrow roads but surprisingly we weren’t very far away as the crow flies.  For example, it took us almost 40 minutes to get to Pescia last week but in fact, its a mere 11 miles from Boveglio.

Yesterday, I asked Luca by email (which he translates to Italian) if they had two chaise lounge chairs we could us on our own patio as opposed to those at the far end of the property enclosed in a small patio that has a tremendous amount of bees and wasps. 

Many restaurants, bars and shop’s hour are different than in the US, many taking long breaks during midday.  This little pub apparently, only closes for lunch, then ending its day at 7:00 PM, perfect for the happy hour crowd, if there is a crowd.

The blooming flowers, which are lovely to see and smell attract the bees, making our hour of sunning less enjoyable, especially for me, more allergic than Tom. 

The BAR Ferrari, the local pub we stumbled across on our extensive walk in the neighborhood.  The bar was located in the “square” a miniature version of various “squares” we walked in Venice, most certainly nothing like St. Mark’s.

Inside the house, we’ve exercised caution without screens in keeping the flying stinging insects at bay as much as possible. Of course, we have multiple EpiPens with us in the event either of us is stung.

Soon, we’ll visit this bar at happy hour.  It didn’t appear that they carry Tom’s preferred beverage of choice, Courvoisier but most assuredly, he’ll find an alternative, if only a beer.

The view of our familiar church and clock tower from the veranda at the pub.  lose and yet far away.

 How exciting it is that we now have a local pub we can frequent, as long as Tom can make it back up the hills to our home, with a few cocktails under his belt.

Leaving the square, we began our climb back up, trying in vain, to find a less strenuous path for one of those nights after happy hour at the pub.

The hour of sunning a few times a week provides us with a healthy dose of Vitamin D and a bit of color with no sunburn. Plus, under normal circumstances, its fun to lay out, chatting away, reading our books on our Kindle apps on our smart phones.

Trying this path proved to be a dead end after a steep climb on irregular stone steps.  Back down we went, to try again.

This morning, while Tom slept in (an oddity), I heard the doorbell buzz at 9:00 am.  There stood Lisa’s parents at the door, each holding a brand new chaise lounge, price tags still attached.  Not only had they honored our request but they purchased new chaises.

Leave it to Tom to notice the build up of creosote in this chimney.  I’m checking out the flowers and design and he’s looking at maintenance issues. 

After many nods and numerous “grazie,” I placed the chairs inside, anxious to show Tom. Immediately, I ran to my computer to write to Lisa and Luca, thanking them for the chairs, saying “old” would have been fine but “new” was more than we could have asked. Could they be more thoughtful? Their kindness enriches our time in Boveglio.

Tom was the first to notice this pretty entrance which is actually an operating hotel.
These steps were more steep than they appear in this photo.  Puff! Pant! Puff! Pant!
Zooming in and looking up, we realized we had a lot more climbing ahead of us to get back. We walked up many steps to get to this inclining ramp.
We neared the ramp by climbing many steep steps.
Once again, we were on level ground for a few minutes.
More steps up and into a tunnel.
All of a sudden, another shrine appeared with a tub of two faucets running constantly with what appeared to be clean water, used by the residents.
What appeared to be fresh running water at the shrine, collecting in this large basin.
We came across this tall narrow house.  Can you imagine the steps inside this property? Its no wonder Italians appear so slim and fit!
Another tucked away shrine.
Another old carving of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

As we worked our way between the houses on the narrow walkways, we realized there was much more yet to discover which we’ll save for another day.With plenty of groceries to last through next week and the weather perfect at 80 degrees, the lavender beginning to bloom, we have literally no desire to go anywhere. 

This house looks free standing but it’s attached to other houses.

The $850 a month rental car sits unused in the parking lot assigned to the residents. I guess that’s all a part of “living” for periods of time in new and interesting locals. 

 The walkways although old and worn in spots are clean and well maintained.  Its evident that homeowners take pride in their neighborhood.

When we “lived” in our old lives, we didn’t go sightseeing every week (or ever for that matter), we paid for car payments, insurance, maintenance while our cars sat idly in our driveway on days off. 

This ramp was awkward to maneuver.  One must continually look down when walking to avoid falling on the uneven walkways.

We enjoyed our time at home, with or without visits from family and friends, doing what we loved to do, whatever that may have been at the moment. 

As we were nearing the far end of our yard, Tom looked for an access point without success, hoping to discover a shortcut.

One might argue, “Well, you won’t be in Italy forever. Better see it while you’re there.” That’s true and we’ve seen so much more so far than we’d have seen if we’d been on a two week vacation. And, we’ll see more soon, and we promise to share it all here.

The flag hanging on the veranda reminded us that the US holiday, the 4th of July, is tomorrow.  It will be the first time in either of our lives that we won’t be celebrating: no family and friends visiting, no flags, no flag cake, no long weekend, no barbecue, no big bowls of an array of salads, no water balloons and no fireworks.

We hope your summer day is warm, sunny and peaceful and that tomorrow, on the 4th of July (for those in the US), have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Is boredom an issue when we’re situated in one place? Dangerous roads…

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Note:  A small number of our readers have chosen to receive daily email of our posts, which arrive 24 hours after we’ve uploaded a new post.  Since we’ve arrived in Tuscany, the daily email hasn’t arrived for some readers.  We have reported this to our web designer and she is working on discovering the issue and correcting it. 

In the interim, if you bookmark our page:  www.WorldWideWaftage.com when you open it, the newest post will be presented immediately and you can scroll down to see the prior day’s post.

Thanks for your patience and know that we’ve given this technological problem our utmost attention.  Once resolved, we will note it here on the next daily posting. Thanks for sharing our travels with us!   Jess & Tom

See the two blue chaise lounges at a distance?  That is another patio for our one hour of sunning time every few days.  Due to the greenery, there’s a fair number of bees buzzing about.  Tom and I both have allergies to bees, thus limiting our time in that spot.

We never expected that traveling the world would be a continual flow of one glorious experience after another. Without a doubt, we’ve enjoyed a multitude of outstanding experiences, many back to back, many day after day. 

Then, there are the days in between where daily life, as in the lives of all of us,  are simple, uneventful, frustrating and downright disappointing. Although, neither Tom nor I ever suffer from boredom. 

We’ve learned at our advancing age how to easily entertain ourselves, sitting quietly in restful repose, engaging in idle chatter or picking up our smart phones to read our latest book in our Kindle app. Even now, without a solitary English speaking TV channel, we find ways to make our days and evenings, special in some way.

The view to our left.

Recently, we’ve been able to download and watch the entire 3rd season of Downton Abbey by Instant Video, setting up my laptop on the kitchen table, watching one episode per night, savoring the pleasure while we’ve dined on our homemade dinner, pausing only to do dishes.

Tonight, we’ll watch the movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Tom’s suggestion as it was the movie that inspired me to want to visit in Tuscany, as is the case for many that enjoyed the popular “chick flick.” For a mere US $1.99 we’ll watch the almost two hour movie. 

At 3:45 pm, our view from the veranda where we spend most of our lounging time.

While in Scottsdale, Arizona in November and December, 2012, as we prepared our final paperwork, we downloaded a few hundred movies on our two terabyte external hard drive, mainly to save for the nine month period we’ll be in Africa, here again with no TV and for other reasons, dangerous to go out at night. (Its hard to believe that in two months and twelve days we’ll be on our way to Kenya).

In Boveglio, one is wise not to travel the winding mountainous roads after dark, with no guardrails, no street lights and endless hairpin turns. When we dine out, we’ll make a point to return while still light, before 9:00 pm. 

Tom will hardly be able to enjoy a few cocktails, since I don’t trust my driving skill to be the designated driver for such occasions and one wouldn’t dare drive the road after a few drinks. If I fussed over the dangerous road in Belize, it was nothing compared to the roads here.  Nothing at all! 

The view to our right.

I made Tom promise me that we’ll never drive on the scariest road in the world in Bolivia, listed as #1 in the top 25. (A few years ago, we watched a show about this dangerous road and it has stuck in my brain).  See this link for the 25 scariest roads on the planet.  Notice the two in Italy, very similar to the roads where we are located in Boveglio, Lucca, Tuscany.

The hazy view is not a photo taking issue.  The vegetation produces massive amounts of humidity clearly visible in the far shots, although it is a bright sunny day.

Unquestionably, the long drive down has a bearing on how often we’ll venture out.  Driving to Collodi yesterday certainly inspired us to grocery shop for two weeks at a time, planning any errands for the same time. 

Yes, we do plan to do some exploring in other parts of Italy, but not as often as we’d originally hoped due to how far away we’re located.  In any case, when we do travel, we’ll have to stay overnight in a hotel, adding an unplanned expense. 

For the moment, we’re content staying put for the next few weeks after the last hectic two months since leaving Belize; hauling our heavy luggage, paying extra for our heavy luggage, waiting in lines, dealing with security, and on and on.

As we sit on the veranda writing, high above the roads, we’re find ourselves fully engaged in the view and the simple activities occurring below; the sound of a dog barking, the appearance of a tractor, a biker out for a hilly ride, a truck delivering goods and supplies and the endless chirping of birds.

Tomorrow, we’ll post the information about the flight we booked today from Venice, Italy to Mombasa, Kenya departing on September 2, 2013, a 17 plus hour journey with three plane changes.  Plus we’ll share photos of the nuances, annoyances and obstacles we’ve encountered while living in 300 year old house.

Here’s the inside of our new home…plus details of our trip to Collodi…

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My bathroom.  Tom took the smaller bathroom in our master bedroom. There’s no tub, the shower is small but it serves its purpose.
The authentic Tuscan kitchen; no dishwasher, no microwave, no small appliances, no electric coffee pot but otherwise well-stocked kitchen with items used for making pasta, bread and sauces.  We’re improving.
The TV wasn’t working again until today when the owner’s parents stopped by to install a new cable box.  However, we’ve yet to find a single English speaking channel.  In Belize, we were able to get all US networks.  Here we’ll watch movies and shows.
The master bedroom has a comfortable bed, good pillows, and blankets.  With no AC or fans in the entire house and no screens on the windows, we still open the windows at night for some cooler air. However, surprisingly, we are comfortable in the heat of Italy’s summer.  The thick stone walls keep the house cool.
Yes, there are some basic amenities we are living without as described in yesterday’s post. But, after today’s trip to Collodi, a half-hour drive through narrow winding mountain roads, we are much more at ease.

Walking onto the patio required serious maneuvering over the side of a flight of stone steps, not for the faint of heart.

As we commenced the long drive to Collodi from Boveglio.


Narrow roads.

Me and Pinocchio outside the children’s park.

A sign on a stone wall advertising Pinocchio.

Metal sculpture of the author, Carlo Lorenzini 1826-1890, aka Carlo Collodi, and his Pinocchio.

Another sculpture of Pinocchio.

On our long drive from Venice to Boveglio, Tom was worried about not having enough euros with us when our credit cards didn’t work at a few unattended gas stations, forcing us to use part of our few remaining euros.
Collodi is a popular tourist attraction as the home of the author of the favorite children’s story, Pinocchio.
 

 Much of the town’s activity centers around the story of Pinocchio.
Today on the way to Collodi, we purchased gas at a station in Bottocini with an attendant who had no trouble getting the card to work for gas at which proved to be approximately $6 a gallon. 

Botticino, the little town where we purchased gas for $6 a gallon.

Once we reached Collodi traveling along the treacherous guardrail free road, we had a few goals in mind: exchange US cash into euros at a bank, buy enough groceries to last for two weeks and find a drugstore, yet again, to purchase contact lens solution, a rare commodity in certain parts of the world. 
One of the main streets in Collodi.
At the bank, we walked into a single person glass round bulletproof tube, opening as one enters after pushing a button.  Then the door closed behind me while scanning for possession of any metal, such as a gun. Then for 30 seconds, I was locked in the tube. 
 
Outside the entrance to a small hotel in Collodi. 

Tom had prepared me as to the procedure that he’d read about many years ago. These tubes were installed in all Italian banks due to rampant bank robberies in Italy. With the installation of these tubes, bank robberies are now non-existent.

 
 Driving around Collodi on one-way streets.
Once inside the bank, with no other customers in sight, I stood at the teller’s window for no less than 30 minutes, while the manager of the bank and the teller ran some types of reports for me, all the while chattering in Italian, after taking my passport. All I wanted was US $800 converted to euros. 

 The road as we were leaving Collodi.
Good thing I was the one doing this since Tom’s temper was about to flare with frustration. When I realized this was going to be a lengthy process, I suggested Tom sit in the waiting area and read and Italian newspaper which he did.
 The road back “home.”
Fin toally, walking out the bank with our euros, we sauntered to a coffee shop next door, hoping for a plain cup of coffee with cream. Apparently, no such coffee was available, only espresso, too strong for our liking. Also at US $4 a cup, we decided to pass on the coffee and head to the grocery store next door. 

Enchanting villages line the narrow road to the top, where we live in Boveglio.

The grocery store proved to be exactly what we needed.  Although small they carried almost all the items on our list except coconut oil, coconut flour, diet 7 Up for Tom’s occasional cocktails, and the equivalent of US bacon. 

A semi-truck was in front of us, part of the way on the return drive.  Tom got a kick out of seeing it maneuver the narrow winding roads. 

Instead, we purchased Prosciutto, wonderful grass-fed meats, locally made cheeses, and organic vegetables all grown in the area. Our two-week grocery purchase was US $326 for which we were pleased.

 Wonder how it works out when two semis, meet on this road.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to witness that.  Finally, this semi turned off into a paper recycling plant.

We purchased prime rib; the best looking two night’s of short ribs I’ve ever seen; two night’s of grass-fed chicken, two nights of pork roast;  three night’s grass-fed ground beef for making meatballs, about five pounds of various cheeses and all of the ingredients necessary to make our favorite staple, homemade cheese crust pizza along with a batch of ten Italian sausages attached by strings. 

More houses high in the hills.
We also included four dozen eggs, real cream, laundry soap, dish soap, regular 7 UP for Tom’s drinks, bar soap, toilet paper, and paper towels. All in all, we actually have enough to last us over two weeks with a plan to dine out in Benabbio twice a week at that cozy Italian restaurant we loved Il Cavallino, having already made an online reservation for this upcoming Saturday night.
Continuing on the road.  There’s no spot where one can stop to take photos.  It’s way too dangerous to stop along these roads.

After the grocery shopping, we stopped at a pharmacy where we found contact lens solution, leaving me stocked up for the two and a half remaining months we’ll be in Boveglio, Tuscany.

 Apparently, a storm washed out these trees along the road.

Greatly relieved to be well-stocked with groceries, euros, and gas, we’re feeling more at ease, able to embrace this peaceful area, its smells, sights and sounds knowing that, for a time, this is home.  Not too bad, really.

Part 2 Venice…One more city knocked off our dream list….Also, update on our new home…

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With the hot sun, the massive crowds, the going rate of $125 to $150 a couple and as evidenced here, the gondola traffic jam, we decided to forego the 30 minute ride in the clogged canals.

Today, we’ll post our remaining photos of Venice, first updating our current status which we’ll write about tomorrow in more detail, with much enthusiasm.

A simple doorway renovated for modern day.

We arrived in Boveglio, Lucca, Tuscany yesterday around 5:00 pm after a long and difficult drive from Venice, estimated by Google Maps to be a 3 1/2 hour drive which ultimately proved to be a 4 1/2 hour drive.

Another old door.

Reading road signs in Italy is different than reading road signs in the US. Its not about the language difference since there’s nothing to reading a word written in Italian, following a map. The difficult part was the fact that roads are not clearly marked. One can drive for a half hour before seeing a sign that confirms (or not) that one is on the correct highway.

Hard to resist. Fun to see.

Plus, there is considerably confusing maneuvering through small towns along the way to stay on the correct road.  We only had to turn around twice, luckily catching it before we got too far.

Inside yet another square on our lengthy walk to St. Mark’s Basilica.

Thank goodness for Google Maps and our MiFi which worked great providing us with a good signal along the highway, during the last hour. The mountainous drive from Florence (Firenze) to Boveglio took us through 29 tunnels!

 Inside the courtyard of the Universita Ca Foscari was a decoration made of trash.

The scenery inspired me to take photos but the massive guardrails prevented getting any good shots. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop to take photos with no shoulder or rest stops on the many toll roads we traveled.

 The Universita Ca Foscari entrance.

As for the rental car…I stood in line for one entire hour at the Budget Rental window inside the Marco Polo Airport while Tom waited outside with the luggage. Meeting a friendly couple from Chicago while in line, the wife was so kind to go outside to watch our luggage while Tom came inside to show his driver’s license.  

Leonardo da Vinci exhibit was being held at the museum.

Tom will be the sole driver of the tiny Fiat six speed vehicle. I must admit I’m not the best driver (OK.  I said it.). Although in an emergency, I could drive a stick shift but it has been 30 years since my last attempt. With the long drive “UP UP UP” to our summer home in Boveglio, with NO guardrails, no thank you.

More delectable looking confections.

We awaken this morning in a mountaintop paradise, the sound of nearby church bell chiming on the half hour and hour (not always consistent), in a 17th century renovated stone house in the true Tuscan style and we’re once again relishing in our unique surroundings, filled with contentment and joy.

Lots of activity.

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos, tell you the sacrifices we must make while here, missing some of our familiar creature comforts and the enhancements to our lives that only this step back in history can bring.

Water buses along the Grand Canal.

I’ll tell you one tidbit now…they don’t take credit cards in this area for gas, groceries or restaurants.  Last night, starved after our long day, we found our way to the tiny town of Bennabio where the owner, Alessandro, of the town’s only restaurant Il Cavallino Bianco, opened an “account” for us, telling us we can pay our bill before we leave Boveglio in two and a half months. 

 As done in France, passersby over the Grand Canal at Ponte delle Accademia, place locks on
the bridge posts as a token of love, writing their names on the lock and throwing the key into the water.

Having used most of our Euros in the past month with no nearby bank and it also being Sunday, we appreciated not only a perfect meal (he cooked exactly following my restrictive diet) but speaking no English, we somehow managed to communicate. 

This huge wood carving of a face was interesting.

During dinner, the owner of the local grocery store across the street from the restaurant stopped by to also extend credit to us for our time here.  It certainly pays to know Lisa and Luca, the owners of our summer home, popular and well loved residents of this quaint community.  More will follow tomorrow.

More buses on the waterway.

So here are our remaining photos of Venice, now almost seemingly a distant memory as we immerse ourselves in our new home, soon heading to the town of Benabbio to grocery shop in the tiny store owned by the lovely Vivienne. Photos to follow!

Here’s the rest of our Venice photos!

Sebastiano T. Italy location.  Campo Santo Stefano.
Ah, here’s another pharmacy!
Ornate décor over doorways was appealing.
Many old apartments buildings lined the way to the square.
The food,  feast for the eyes, let alone the palate.
Tight quarters.  Lots of boats.
Statue of Marco Polo.
This was as close as we got to the gondolas.
A square we entered when trying to make our way to St. Mark’s visible in the background.  We walked for two hours to get to St. Marks over many bridges, down many narrow streets.
More French looking than Italian, this window display of masquerade items was beautiful.
Murano glass figurines from a shop window.
Clock Tower.
Piazza of St. Mark…pretty impressive, eh?
Taking photos of people taking photos.
People and pigeons, everywhere.
Basillica di San Marco.
Tricky photo.  Murano glass sailboats taken outside the store with the reflection of Piazza of St. Mark reflecting in the glass creating a cool backdrop.
Outdoor restaurant in the Piazza of St. Mark.  Notice the attire on the waiter in the center.
Basilica di San Marco.
More detail on the Basilica di San Marco.
Clock at the Venetian Arsenal.
Gold angels at the top Basillica di San Marco.
Another view of the Basillica di San Marco.
Piazza San Marco.
Side view of Basillica di San Marco.
Piazza San Marco.
Basillica di San Marco.
Atop the Venetian Arsenal.
One of the many structures at the top of Basillica di San Marco.
We got a better view of this statue on our return trip, Island of St. Giorgio Maggiore, Chiesa Di San Giorgio.
Shuttles lined the docks to return passengers to one of the many giant ships at the port.
A great shot at every turn.
Waiting at the dock for our shuttle to depart.
Not appearing to be rough, the waterway was rough due to the boat traffic.
Views along the waterway on the return to the ship.
As the Norwegian Spirit shuttle boat took off to return us to the ship.

Part 1 Venice…One more city knocked off our “dream list”…

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As our ship made its way to the port of Venice, our mouths were agape in surprise as a feast before our eyes.

In writing our post yesterday we mentioned our busy day was subject to change and change we did! After all, we’ve determined that flexibility and adaptability are a way of life these days.

One historic building after another.

Running into our friends Nicole and Gerry shortly after we posted our 48-hour schedule, they asked if we’d be interested in getting off the ship earlier in the day to wander around Venice with them. 

The waterways were exactly as we had perceived them, crowded with a never-ending in a maze of canals.

They offered to get maps, charting out our day inquiring as to various transportation options were available to get us on our way to the much desired St. Mark’s Square location. With so much on our minds to accomplish in such a short time, plus greatly enjoying their company, we opted to let them take over the planning for the day and evening while we’d joyfully follow along.

Look at the crowds!

We agreed to meet at 2:45 pm, allowing us ample time to first lounge by the pool plus get our packing out of the way. Mission accomplished. We loaded up our passports, a bottle of water and a camera and off we went.

Every direction we turned there was another waterway.

Our goal was to walk the streets of Venice traipsing across endless bridges over the canals, see as much as possible, taking photos along the way, ultimately ending up in St. Mark’s Square after which an additional 15-minute walk we’d work our way to the Norwegian Spirit boat shuttle in a designated area along the shore, Riva Degli Schiavoni.

What a view!
The buildings along the canals were often unique, but most were attached.
The cathedrals are breathtaking.

The shuttle arrived every 30 minutes, would bring us as close as possible to our ship upon return, requiring another 15-minute walk.

As our ship continued on to our docking location.

Unbelievable shops, restaurants, hotels, apartments, and massive historical buildings lined our way on the lengthy rather vigorous three-hour walk.  Not quite the three-hour walk as in Petra, Jordan but nonetheless, quite a walk on a yet another very hot and crowded day.

Need I say, we have no regrets.

 All these photos were taken as our ship maneuvered through the main channel approaching the cruise ship pier in Venice.
Moving furniture is often done by boat in Venice, the preferred method of transportation
As we approached the pier for the cruise ships, they were lined up back to back.

Arriving at the pier in Venice an hour earlier than expected, we took our time getting off the ship to meet Nicole and Gerry for what proved to be a very interesting and enriching day.

We wondered if there would be a “parking spot” for our ship.  We squeezed into a good spot.

Today, as I write this, we must get off the ship in a half-hour, leaving many more photos of Venice to include tomorrow when I complete the Venice series while in our new home in Tuscany, busily unpacking and settling in.

Back tomorrow!

Ephesus Turkey ruins, history, and a very odd touch of modern day…What?…A fashion show!…

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Here we are, in front of more historic ruins, Ephesus.  This photo is rather similar to the photo of us in front of Petra in Aqaba, Jordan.
Note:  Today, our ship was scheduled to arrive in Piraeus, Greece with many tours scheduled to go to Athens. We had decided to travel on our own while there.  Last night during dinner, the captain announced that we werenot going to Greece after all. Apparently, as of yesterday, there was a massive strike in Greece resulting in a standstill of all public transportation and services including all port facilities. 
The view from our balcony as we entered the city of Izmir, Turkey.

Many passengers, bound and determined to see the Acropolis and other ruins are sorely disappointed. We chalk it up to all a part of the adventure, especially when tomorrow morning, we’ll be in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the historic walled city. Dubrovnik was not a part of the planned Ports of Call.

Time for cattle herding time to Ephesus. Moo.
Actually, we’re enthused for the opportunity to see Croatia after hearing so much about it from many passengers on our previous cruises, as a favored stop.
At sea today, we have no option but to use the ship’s WiFi to post the many photos today from our visit to Ephesus yesterday. 
Tom reminded me these are called “containers” not “cartons” as I erroneously referred to them.

Fact about Ephesus:

·    Ephesus is considered one of the greatest outdoor museums in Turkey.

Ephesus is the most well preserved classical city of the eastern Mediterranean, allowing visitors to soak in the atmosphere of Roman times.
Ephesus was once a seaport is now six miles from the sea.
The ancient city continues to be restored in a manner of fitting pieces of a massive puzzle in place.  It could take hundreds of years to complete it.
The Celsius Library in its day was the third largest library in the world with a capacity of 12,000 scrolls.  The facade of the library has two stories, but the interior has three stories due to its origi
The toilets in Ephesus were arranged side by side (photos below) with no privacy.  The toilet stones were heated by the slaves for their masters in the winter.
The Grand Theatre in Ephesus had a seating capacity of 24,000, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
There is an underground passage to the brothel on Marbel Street in Ephesus.
The  first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary is in Ephesus.  The 3rd Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus was held at the Church of the Virgin Mary and is known as one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse.  Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life in Turkey, in a small cottage near Ephesus, visited by Pope Paul, the 6th and Pope Jean-Paul
.
St. Paul, the Apostle gave lectures in the Tyrannus Hall and the synagogue in Ephesus for two years in his third missionary journey.
Seven Christians who fled Ephesus are believed to have slept in a cave nearby for 200 years.
Cleopatra spent her honeymoon with Antonius in Ephesus in the winter of the year 188. 
Izmir is an older city with its buildings less modern than other major cities we’ve seen.
The hillside on the drive to Ephesus could have been any hillside in any part of the world with no defining Turkish markers.
The vendors were ready for us as our bus pulled into the Ephesus parking area.

Our safety in Izmir, Turkey was of utmost concern. Apparently, Norwegian Cruise lines felt the same way, instructing all tour vehicles to avoid the dangerous areas of the city as they made their way to various points of interest, most of which was the one-hour bus ride to the ancient city of Ephesus.

Once on the road, we felt safe except for the few minutes when we departed that our
bus driver couldn’t find his way out the parking lots at the port.  

The old rickety bus bounced along on the hour drive, stopping once for a pit stop at a shopping area where overly zealous vendors watched our eyes for interest in any of their wares.  We kept our sunglasses on as we waited in the line to use the facilities in an effort to avoid eye contact, which we were warned was a dead giveaway. 
Ephesus required a two-hour walk on extremely uneven stones, slippery chunks of granite
and marble and a mixture of odd-shaped rocks and surfaces.  Tourists everywhere added to the difficulty of the walk, some tripping, some falling and many lagging behind our well
informed but difficult to understand tour guide, Nadia.
As our long walk began with a series of similar ruins.
Never miss a photo op at the ruins.

Wearing two-way radios on strings around our necks with an earpiece, we were able to adjust the volume as we walked through the area, losing the connection if we were too far ahead or behind.  Tom and I preferred to work our way through the crowds and stay ahead most of the time, although we didn’t miss anything.

Ornate rock.

Having seen Petra in Aqaba, Jordan, in May, our expectations were high. Had we not seen Petra, we would have been enthralled with Ephesus. Interesting? Yes. Profoundly so?  Not as much.

No more than 20 minutes into the tour, we both acknowledged that touring in a bus-sized group was not our thing. In the future, we decided that we are willing to pay more to either tour in a
small group of six or less, with our own guide or on our own. This “group thing” is not for us,
missing so much of the personal experience in the process.  

Varying stones were used to avoid a slippery surface. 
The ridges on the marble were etched to reduce the slippery aspect to provide traction for the iron wheels on the chario
The original medical insignia.
Another well-preserved work.
Perhaps, the craftsmen spent their lifetime creating these works.
Its hard to imagine the lives of the citizens during this era.
This piece was one of the most appealing having survived for centuries.
Decorative archway.
Decorative pillars and structures.
Ornate design.
The crowd was so thick at times it was hard to walk.
It was hard to believe how many people were there.
Some ornate design remains.
Check out this handiwork!
Its amazing this is still here!
Work yet to be completed.
The trough at the toilets.
Yes, these are toilets but with not much privacy!
The Celsius Library.
The crowds.
More ruins to be restored.
More work yet to be completed.

  

It was hard to find a good spot for our photo.
Feeling well again, the long walk was easy.
It was difficult to take photos without including other unknown tourists.
Lots of people.
The Celsius Library bears some resemblance to the Treasury in Petra.  But it is not nearly as magnificent.
At the Celsius Library.
It could be centuries before they piece together these stones.
In a way, we’re becoming a little bored with ruins, having seen so many in our travels.
More impressive ruins.
What was the purpose of these narrow spaces?
It will take many years to complete the piecing together of the ruins.
This is the road Cleopatra traveled while on her honeymoon in 188.
 Steps from the Great Theatre to the road below.
These original roads led to the Great Theatre.
Another view of the Great Theatre.
The Great Theatre view.
 The Great Theatre.
Oddly, as we began the bus ride back to the ship, we stopped at a local leather purveyor, expecting a primitive factory with workers pounding away on leather products. Instead, we were herded into a newer fancy pillared Greek styled building to a darkened room to be seated in
comfy theatre seats surrounding a t-shaped stage. 
The tree lined walk back to the bus.
Alas, a grouping of professional good looking, well-dressed models began parading the neon
lighted “catwalk” in what proved to be a contemporary fashion show, as one would see in Paris or Milan, all wearing expensive leather jackets, fur coats, and other leather goods.  

We were given a checklist on which to mark our numbered items of interest. Loud popular music blared in the background as the models, both female and male pranced down the runway, one after another, to quickly change backstage to yet another enticing outfit. 
Models prancing the runway in leather jackets.

How ironic.  Here we were, our brains wrapped around a classic Roman lifestyle from over 2000 years ago only minutes ago to a pop fashion show.  After the show, two large wooden doors opened to a huge showroom where the leather goods were displayed in a manner one would expect in an exclusive store.

There was no way out!  All 40 of us were trapped in this showroom while the owner tried to convince us, extolling the quality of their handmade laser leather products, to purchase their expensive products many upwards of US $1200.

How odd, that we were sitting there!  We just left a historical site and now we’re at a mandatory fashion show.  We’ll surely be writing the cruise line about this!

We couldn’t get out of there quickly enough. The captive audience listened while Tom and I sought the most available exit to hurriedly make our way out the door, relieved to be outside at
last. I must admit I enjoyed the fashion show so out of place in our historical day, but the trip inside the showroom made me want to scream. 

Passengers were brought onto the stage “to perform.” Not us!

With no practical way in which to avoid the crowds in these historic spots, at least in the future, we can go at our own pace.  In Turkey, with the dangers surrounding the rioting, it seemed to make sense to travel in a large group. Returning back to the ship by 5:45, we were anxious to shower and head to dinner in the Windows Dining Room.

The leather showroom where we were herded to make purchased. Not one passenger on our bus made a purchase.

We dined with a fabulous couple last night, Deanna and Wally, having the time of our lives, finally clearing out the dining room after 10:00 pm. Tonight, we’ll meet up with them again for yet another expected evening of incessant laughter and endless storytelling.  What a social cruise this has been for us!

The sky began to cloud over on our return to the ship.

After a long and event-filled day, we languished in our cabin, blissfully tired and pleased with another great day. 

Older buildings lined the highway.
For the first time on this entire cruise, now on our 10th day, we had rough seas last night as winds howled in the 55-60 MPH range, the ship rolling to and fro. Now, as more experienced cruisers, especially after the 50 foot waves on the Norwegian Epic in late April, we gave it little
thought to allow the rocking to lull us to sleep.
It began to rain shortly before we arrive at the pier to board yet another shuttle to get us closer to the ship.
Today, a sea day on our way to Croatia, we look forward to our last few days on the Norwegian Spirit and then of course, in three days, beginning our half-day drive to our future home in Tuscany for the summer.  Ah, life is good.