You are just a click away from wonderful photos of Firenze!  Recall a trip from the past or dream of a future adventure, the artist has captured it all.

http://www.florenceprimopiano.com/photo/

Wonderful photos and cards of the the sites of Italy and particularly Firenze.

The artist has lived in Florence and loved Italy for many years.  These feelings come through in her art.

While living in Sorrento I visited Napoli several times.  While there for the San Genero Festival and street procession (I am Italian American but may have been the only non local there) I saw signs for    Pizza School

This was the only part of the sign I could translate and taking the phone number was a waste of time since  my language skill are that of a 3 year old.  However I do manage to take the train (NEVER THE BUS, because you cant ask where to get off!) and often find the bathrooms in some towns.     When I am travel king/queen  i shall make it required for  every town to have a clean public bathroom.   

Back to Pizza.   I want to learn to make Pizza in Napoli, where Pizza was born.    Can someone tell me where to find this school? A helpful reader told me about the professional chefs school for pizza.  26 weeks would be great but of course not possible.  Besides, when the head chef yells slice the mozzarella, i might be picking up a pepperoni!!!!

So my quest for the Napoli Pizza school continues.

Andrea who has helped me find obscure addresses in small and large towns in Italy, has researched how I can arrive in my home village of Petina when i am afraid of the bus and the train does not go to Petina,   Andrea who is like having a travel partner when you travel solo,   has just launched a blog on the area of the Amalfi coast!

Take a look:http://amalfiandsorrento.blogspot.com/

I hope to have an interview with my travel anel later this season.

we are still searching for the school in Naples that teaches how to make a REAL pizza…

Dany one

Shall I skip the boring part, with 40 lbs of luggage and 2 other bags, the wheel on my bag breaks?

The van driver was stuck dragging the “whale” of a bag to the porter so I won’t have to deal with the dead whale

Wasn’t there a book, diary of a mad housewife?  

Now there is a blogg,  I think I went insane when it turned 50

You get your aarp card and things change

1. you become invisible  (this is an entirely separate topic)

women of a “certain age” will know what I am talking about

no longer do married men bother you,  YEAH

but cashiers in stores don’t see you and ask the person behind you if they can help

try to pay for something when there is not a “check out”  and let me know what happens

thank goodness for the automated check out lines at home depot.

2.  life changed and suddenly time felt short,   the term “short timer” comes into your vocabulary

So with aarp card in hand I now make spur of the moment decisions.

Motto:  if it does not work out MONEY will solve the problem and get you back to your safe room in Atlanta, NJ or thanks to Jimmy a room at the beach.     Life is really good,  just ignore the bad stuff

So I am going “home to Italy”    as I have for the past 5 springs.    The excuse has been the Remax convention but it has turned into a real and physical invisible draw to go back to a place where you can just “live”  Last year I passed as an Italian if I did not speak and even then tourists thought I was an expat!

But this year I am combining adventures.  

Have always wanted to take a freighter trip but since pirates have NOW gotten in my way,  I am trying a repositioning cruise.

Ships go in the spring from the USA to Europe and beyond for the summer season.  They will come back for the winter cruises in the Caribbean.

Along with the poor economy the cost to go “over” was no more than a business class ticket,  I think even less.  Room, board (24 hrs a day)

Entertainment and transportation all rolled into one.

So NOW I will be traveling with 3,000 of my new best friends from Florida to Rome with a few quick stops in Spain, France, Morocco, Portugal and parts of Italy I have not visited.

Yes, what if I hate it.  Have already received “permission” to jump ship early if I want to.  

So with debit card in hand a leave for the Atlanta Airport.  Realized I had not flow in a year!  

The cab fares are double,  Delta wanted money to check my bag and with any luck it will arrive when I do.

Actually I am going a day early because as a professional worrier, if the bag is lost I can do 5 hrs of panic shopping OR I spend 3 weeks in the same t shirt.

My new life as a travel researcher begins: 

What will it be like with 2999 cruising passengers?  Those that dress for dinner? Those that bring jewelry for each outfit?  Will it be warm enough to go outside once we are in the MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN>

Any family member not bored already that they hit the delete key will know my first trip to Italia was by ship.  Left for a semester in Italy on the Michelangelo!  8 days of BLACK WATER, NOTHING TO SEE AND THE BIGGEST DAMM WAVES YOU HAVE EVER SEEN.

Yes I was sea sick the first day but now they have wrist bands that “prevent this” we will see.

Hope there are some Italians on the ship.  Would like to practice before I arrive.   Last year in Sorrento my skills went from the level of a 3 year old to a 5 year old.   But I was able to travel, living in an apt., shop etc for 90 days with only some problems.   

Want to thank those that wished me bon v.  Before I left.  Buon Viaggio in our language.  My aunt (zia) actually called to see if I got up in time!

Sorrella Carol emailed at 5:30!  Who is up at 5:30????

If any of il familia are reading this, call Nancy.  See if she is taking her medicine,  even if it does cost $200.00, and getting any better.

If you all call we can nag her mercilessly.  A family trait we are very good at….

So on to the next legof the adventure.  

Check in at www.HomeToItaly.com  for more   writing about nothing.

Will not be online until 5/7 since they charge $30.00 an hour for the internet.  Will look for carrier pigeons.

A presto.   

Leah