Life can change...

...in a split second. Introducing Pizazz, guardian beagle.

Directions for Using Boot

Inflate...deflate....right. And just where do I put this pump?

Das Boot

Do what? How long? Shower? #!?€£¥!

New Chapter!

My, my...seems that against my will I am to rest...(trying to send pic)...






Not exactly how I envisioned spending the summer. Happened Monday afternoon.

Friends have been wonderful.

"Watch your step!"


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The Party's Over

Laura's Hand Laundry at capacity. Packing List for next trip will be substantially less regardless of destination!



Home sweet home it is.

Beginning to lag,

Laura





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Location:Farm Rd,Los Altos,United States

Hoping for an upgrade!

:-D

Growl...snarl!...

...and I shall return!

The hours are few before I get up to catch a 5:40 am train to a bus to Heathrow...and next stop?...SFO.

What a month this has been, complete with the icing on the cake--time in Cornwell with Bill and Alison...filled with friendship, food and fascinating activities culminating with a beautiful cycling trip and lunch in a seaside cafe. Plus an elegant dinner with friends of B&A. Yes, I have been spoiled.

My breast-plate removed, I head home with soul-filling memories and a sense of having bridged to a new and challenging chapter in my journey on this exciting planet.

Ciao bella,

LJ/Laura

What is a winkle?

A very very small snail-like critter with a "trap-door-like" device at the shell's opening.

With a toothpick you remove the flap and proceed to remove the tiny winkle -- the game is to remove it in it's entirety. While I choose to think I was a worthy opponent ... (see next posting)

Indian Curry Buffet

Gulliver, the Galloping Gourmet, gives Woodlands, a five-star Firestone rating! Six succulent dishes prepared in an 1820's farm house set among the
gardens, fields, rolling hills and lanes quintessencely Cornwellian.

Kudos to Chef Dr. Bill and Sous-chef Alison Smith.

And the winner...?

Dr. Bill, of course!

This is a most elegant little cafe...no, it really isn't ALL about the eating!

Thoughts of returning home are beginning to seep into my brain....

What is a winkle?

A small snail-like sea critter served with dipping liquid and toothpicks. Access to the winkle is achieved by removing a tiny flap from the shell opening and proceeding to use the toothpick to remove the contents of the shell, dip it into the vinegar and eat!

The game is to try to remove the critter in its entirety...well, while I'd like to consider myself a serious contender in this "war", the winner was... (see next blog post)....

What is this?

Made-from-scratch spaghetti Milanese, courtesy Dr. Bill, super chef.

Each plate depicts a different creature from the sea and a most capricious description of that creature.

Home-away-from-home

I am standing beside the Smith house, Woodlands, looking up the driveway toward the "main" road, a not-so-large single lane road, the "main drag" in Mithian, Cornwall.

It is as lush and dense as it appears punctuated with very large hay fields on a hilly terrain. Most beautiful.

Truro Area

A lovely walk along an estuary of the Truro River not very far from Woodlands and a beautiful thatch-roofed pub. Weather continues "ify" the time together with Bill and Alison most wonderful.

Winkle Wars Begin

Challenge: who can get the most winkle out of his or her winkle shell!?!


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Winkle Wars Begin

Challenge: who can get the most winkle out of his or her winkle shell!?!


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Packing for Opera house

All of the instruments had to be moved to Cortona including harp from the castle...what a romp!


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Together Again

A tiny cafe with totally fresh seafood and best of all going to market and sipping and nibbling with Bill and Alison at the Falmouth Oyster Bar & Cafe...how sweet it is!

What is this?

No, not an irresistible Italian stud muffin... a Japanese armor piece for head and face...in museum outside of Florence. Fascinating collection of armor plus!

What is this?

If you guess elephant mask, you would be...

Corona

A pic from the concert that included the hot accordionist from yesterday's festivities--he brought the house down!

The variety and quality of the whole thing was mind/blowing.

A totally unique experience!

Poking around the environs of Florence tomorrow and then onto UK Tuesday.

Ciao,

Laura

What is this?

Circular stuffe in an antique store in a small Etruscan village "down the hill" from the castle.

A Saturday morning here is like participating in a sit-com without words as I do not understand Italian...a conversation generated (on my side) with charade-like gestures.

Tension Mounts

Tomorrow is the day...concert day!!!

We've rehearsed...fun...and we are last on the program. We head to Cortona at noon!

Our landmark...

...how sweet it all is...minute by minute,
day by day!

Oops!

That was the contessa and count...

These are the locals!

Castle scenes

Today when we sang for locals and they for us...

More later...

...leaving for ????? Our door.


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More

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Pictures to follow...

...I hope.


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Music Surrounds...

...us everywhere beginning with the cuckoo out on the woods. We have "rehearsed", now someone is playing the piano. Abundant flowers AND food!
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In Gargonza

Gargonza (2 of 4)

View from our door stoop...

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G'a (3 of 4)

Our suite...my room.

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G'a (4 of 4)

Stairway to the Hayes Loft)

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Gargonza (1 of 4)

Our neighbor's door...

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Who is this?

This guy inhabits the same cathedral as Michelangelo's Moses...a stunning piece to say the least...and a suggestion from fellow travelers in Pulia.

An exciting organ concert rounded out a rainy afternoon...at one point I expected a lion to come charging down the aisle...it was a very unique musical experience.

Tomorrow off to Tuscany and Chapter 4.

Ciao bella,

LJ

Off to Pompeii

Wandered in Rome yesterday after returning from Pulia, land of caves and intriguing. Michelangelo, Bernini and an astounding organ concert by a Swedish artist -- after a drenching rain that had us running to an indoor cafe after the concert.

Now to ashes and more wonder.


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That is NOT the pic I was trying to send...here it is!

What is this?

Housed in the same church as Moses, this guy seemed less popular. Moses is breath-taking.

Picnic ...

... On train back to Roma ...

While journaling on return to Rome, I realized (with a little distance) what a really great and interesting few days we had enjoyed...a hotel fashioned from a series of medieval caves? Gelato, truffles, ancient olive trees with sculpted trunks...yes! And more to come...

Caio,

Laura

It's all...(1of2)

...about the preparation and the presentation...

Erratic for a few days...

...as we are down in the south of the heel of <italy in a lovely hotel BUT access to internet is expensive except for this <italian machine...so it comes up with weird stufffe.  <it is fun to report to you that people have picked up on the <2What is this<<<<<2 idea and laughing and pointing at possible photographic candidates now<<<<<1

 donàt know where the exclamation key is...

 

So <iàll write cuz itàs fun but there wonàt be any pix until Rome on Saturday, <i donàt think, unless <i break down and actually pay for internet access....

 

LJ

Evening in Matera

How beautiful is this...taken just now!!! Share with group, please...it IS magic.

Daily 'What-Is-This"

It looks disgusting in this foto but add onion & garlic and lots of oil, simmer & stir for a very long time with a well-used spoon savoring the good smell all the while in an old farmhouse kitchen near the cave-town of Matera.

Bellissimo Matera

What is there to say? 600-700 year old dwellings fashioned from caves..,but you'd never guess...

And we're staying in one.

Day #3 in Rome

A day for the Forum and Colosseum...plus any other mischief owe could find and discover...Dotty and Terry busy discovering!

A funny thing happened on the way from...

Cheers,

Gulliver

And, #2 from Rome

Where is this? Piazza Navona On which are four scuptures depicting the four major rivers of the time...clearly this is the one of the Free Spirit! I chose to think this one depicts the Danube!

What is this?

Clue (weak, though) waiting in front of Vatican for tour and a day that included much walking down street after narrower street and savoring the discoveries with every step...

Answer: No, not a Gililuly (?)
How about a display of gelato cones?

:-D

What is this?

It is from a beach town, but we're not at the beach...it was drying out after just being made on a street...and we're off to dinner and soon we shall eat...

Answer:

PASTA drying on a screen...we are in Bari now in the heel of Italy.

Rome was explosively wonderful and I shall catch up with that soon...Vatican, Forum, Colasseum, Spanish Steps, oh yes, we walked and walked and walked and a few details to follow.

No Service...

...but I shall try anyway to post with transmission later...

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Not sure this stuff

is coming through

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Roma Bella

Ensconced in lovely hotel...walking all over already...to Spanish Steps and the cacophony of voices echoing like wisps from the cement buildings surrounding them, and of course the people watching.

We are all rather weary, so a beer and sandwich later, we are all playing with out electronic gear and looking forward to the Vatican at the beginning of the day.

Where could we be?

First stop - Frankfurt - Dotty's comment: in England that sign would read Cold Food Hot Beer..so far so good!

The day before...

...best laid plans...tooth chipped...entire day planned...ha...this is more of a test with my wireless keyboard, i.e., process than content...no picture...not much of anything!!!

Caio,

L.

Excitement Mounts

The exhiliration of of travel has set in...bag almost packed...returned to church after a long absence...and now practicing with executing the blog site.  Technology Troglodyte tries to burst out of cave, remove rocks and stones to escape into the joy and adventure of living well again.