Italy & France 1990 trip (Italy)

$1 = 1130 to 1190 lira
Brought $1500 traveler's checks (+ $40)

Weds June 27
6 Grand Lake cab $45 - D paid
8:10 SF Pan Am
Arrive 4:40 EST NY (1:40 PST)
Reserve car: Budget
Supposed to leave 6;40, then 6;15, finally 7:15

----------
Thurs 28
8:20 a.m. Milano (10:30 pm California) (6 hours later)
Malpenza airport
D $100 @1210 lira & 1500 & 800
Bud 8 lira each
Station Centrale
Cab 15+ lira
Duomo (Piazza)
Pensione Robello - Rovello
Slept
Galleria: Banco Cesare Ponti
D $20 @ 1200 lira -2000 & $60
Piazza Duomo
7:30 Trattoria da Bruno - via Cavolotti 15 (east of Duomo) - 15 lira
(Veal) scallopine au vin blanc
Farfella (butterfly noodles)

Pension Rovello, Milano - 69,000 lira (Let's Go said 45,000)

----------
Fri 29
J awake at 5:00 - read outside room (E & Ca daily)
Crepe lunch
Metro (Lanza) ---> (Garibaldi)
D $100 @ 1175 lira - 800 / phone tix D 10,000 lira
Phoning

Aranciata San Pellegrino (+ bitter / "amara") !

Railroad 2:20 -> 3:20 Bergamo
sea of red tile topped buildings
HOT
3-star Albergo Piemonte (near train station) (desperate) 65,500 lira
HAZY - slept
ca 7:00 Bus to Funicular to Cite Alta
Hazy sunset. Walled city on hill. People walking. Open air restaurants.
Ristorante da Franco / Rissotto con funghi Porcini / Pizza con prosciutto et pomodoro / Tiramisu - 26,880 lira.
Very nice. An old city plaza. Stayed there until 10, 10:30.
Bergamo

----------
Sat 30
D woke J up ca. 5:30
7:40 (not 8:15) railroad (through Brecia) to Venice - "3 hours" - 28 lira for 2 cheap!
but very crowded to Verona
11:30 Venizia
D $200 @ 1160 - 5000 - 800
HOT & WET
Vaporetto #34
Locanda Silva - 58,000 lira
Fond. di Rimedio, just east of Piazza San Marco
Collapse Zzzzzzzzz
5-ish - Walk:
* Chip Chiap pizza - Campo S. Maria Formosa
post office - near Ponte di Rialto
Campo S. Polo
sat on Campo Frari
Campo S. Margharita
Back by Ponte Accademia
Campo Marosini / S. Sebastian: ice cream (Torrone & Nociola)
Return (D turista, J later)
8-ish slept until 12-ish
Slept again ca 2-5
Venizia

----------
Sun July 1
6:30 - 9 walk east (photos)
(Hotel - D: breakfast)
Pastry! Il golosone
(Dulce de Dogi & ______ )
Vaporetto to Piazzale Roma
10:30 ATVO bus to airport
"Noon" - p.u. Airport: Budget Opel Corsa - $171.46/week + tax
( @ 1200 lira = 205,200 / week - Local rate 511,000 / week)
PLEASANT
--- Hail! ---
Drive: Bassano del Grappa - - Asiago - - mountains - - (J falling asleep - short nap) - - highways (Vicenza - Padua - Venezia)
Park in city structure - 6000 lira / day
Vaporetto #34 to Pte. Accademica

RAIN
* Anticua Locanda Martin Borga
! Antipasto de pesce montin (with sardines in saor)
Melanzone (al funghetti) grilled
(Fried) Mista scampi calamaretti
Tokay
Mineral water
* Tiramisu !
Grappa (Frangeli)
61, 040 lira
(Venizia)

----------
Mon 2 - First good night sleep
Other side of Rialto bridge: market stalls
Cooler (clouded) --> sun - very pleasant
(English bookstore)
(Enoteca al volto)
Piazza San Marco
(hotel) 120 lira left
pizza
(hotel)
J changed first $200 @ 1180 - 3000
Vaporetto $5 --> Murano (glassworks) & Giudecca
Sat on pier
(Conte Sconta) closed on Monday

Madonna: popular touristy, but good
Seppioline alla veneziana con polenta
Insalata di stagione
Carciofi 2 pezze
Soave
32,000 lira
(Venizia)

----------
Tues 3
Rain
Vaporetto --> car (got 500 km / tank)
A4 autostrada
Padua (citta) - pastries - could hardly find city center - too modern
[Verona]
[Lake Garda]
Euganean hills:
Abrano Terme - spa resort
Castelnuovo
Fontana fredda
Este
------>
(Montagnana) (city with fortress)
------>
* Mantova: (Te Palace) & back to town center
(Let's Go) walk-in - Albergo Roma (Mantova) 33,000 lira

Aquila Negra - too expensive!
Prosciutto with fig
* Risotto with scampi & spinaci
Grilled trout
Soave, Pellegrino
51 lira (12 lira cover!)

(Mantova) Nice (too expensive)

----------
Weds 4
[star]
Search for panetteria
& J changed $200 @ 1165 - 5000
[Ravenna]
440 km on 3/4 tank - 1.425 / litro - 28 litros - 40 lira
12:00 Mondena - walk through center looking for Fini restaurant

2:00 Bologna
Trattoria da Denis - Via S. Felipe, 50
Tortelloni & Tortellini al Pasticcio
Passatelli (soup)
Cotechino (sausage)
Lam brusco seco (di Sobarba)
Dolce al mascarpone
34,000 lira

---> Dozza - murals (& Enoteca)
---> Umbrian hills [Arezzo] [Gubbio] [Norcia]
---> Perugia - drove away from city center checking 2-stars
Alberga / Pensione Paola (2-star) - 45,000 lira
+ walk old city (gelato - zuppa inglese)
young people watching soccer on big screens

----------
Thurs 5 - drier, grassier
* Perugia: pasticeria & walk through old city
---> Assissi
Rocca Magiore
Rosticceria: Cannelloni, salad, * salchicco? (sausage) - 20,500 lira
Chieso San Francesco
& walk back across town
---> Mte. Subasio - wildflower preserve - looks like Mt. Diablo view
---> fields of sunflowers!
---> (Montefalco eh)
---> {Spoleto]
---> Acquiasparta
---> Todi (small) [Narni]
- photo of river fume Tevere
--->
*Orvieto [TWO STARS]
Ristorante del Cocco - avenue? de Garibaldi
* Bruschetta
* Fettucine con crema de tartuffo
* BIstecca Etruscan
[Insalata]
* Vino: Trevino + 3 grapes (homemade)
36,300 lira

Hotel del Duomo (2 star - followed signs for 2 stars) - 38,000 lira
Guys singing on duomo steps
Nice cathedral, especially seen through narrow streets
(Orvieto)

----------
Fri 6
J changed $200, D changed $200 @ 1190 lira - 3000 total
Pastries & capuccino
& walk Rain
(photo: city in rain - Orvieto)
* "Michelangelo" wood sculpture
---> (Ptigliano)
---> Saturnia
I Due Cippi-da Michelle
Zuppa di Funghi (Porcini?)
Gnocchi di Patate & Rucola sauce
30,000 lira ($ - 6 lira cover)

---> (Parco) Monte Argentario Island (eh)
--->
Siena: Reservation booth
Piccolo Hotel Il Palio (2 star) - 61,000 lira (with bathroom)
Enoteca Italica Permanente
Ristorante Il Verrochio (Let's Go) - open air
* Pizza
* Fuselli
Gelato - Tiramisu / Zabaglione
21,000 lira
(Siena)

----------
Sat 7
* walk through city & call Florence
---> CHIANTI:
(Castlenuovo
Castellode Brolio
- lunch -
Gaiole Vertine
Castellina in Chianti
--->
Sangmignano
--->
Florence

Pensione Norma (2 star) 65,000 lira with bathroom
* nameless restaurant near Vivoli's
Crostini caldi della casa
Pappa al pomodoro
Spiedini di Mozzarella con salse d'acciughe
Chianti red
Amaru
40,500 lira
(Florence)

----------
Sun 8
Uffizi Gallery
Rum crisp, cafe
VIVOLI's * Tiramisu, Almond
(Piazza Santo Spirito - no artisans market)
Boboli Gardens - eh
Hot & chy
Gorgeous women's clothes - Oltierno side of Pte Vecchio
Restaurant * [STAR]
Move car & train station: map
Walk back

(Trattoria Buca Poldo) eh
Salami e Finnocchiona
Crepes all Fiorientina
Osso Bucco all Fiorentina
Fagioli all'olio o all'Uccelletto [little birds]
32,000 lira
(Firenze = Florence)

----------
Mon 9
(church)
fashion section
Botanical Gardens
restaurant *
Il mondialissimo ti uccide
Big bookstore - Vespucci
B (25)
(Crema de tartuf_ )
Peché No ? - Via Tavolli: ice cream
Herberias, J: umbrella (15 lira)
Thos. Cook: J $200 @ 1175 lira - 4700

Osteria del Gatto e la Volpe - Via Ghibbelina - not bad
(the "touristy" restaurant I turned down two nights ago)
Insalata di mare!
Tortellini in salsa de noci (creamy sauce)
Pizza 4 Stagione
> Bisccottini di Prato con Vin Santo
33,400 lira

I Chieso dele Cognossenta: Senegal
12,000 lira each
(Florence)

----------
Tues 10
(call) (2,000 lira)
Berghello
Get car & load
Gas 32,100 lira
--->
airport (Pisa) (nice): Budget
& J $200 @ 1195 lira - 3800 lira
& D $200 - 3800 lira
--->
[Pisa]
[Joseph (Pepe) & Teresa Longo - Pza Dante 7 - 56100 Pisa - 050-50-18-97]
[Lucca]
--->
Livorno (eh - dirty port town):
Melon & prosciutto
Spaghetti alla vongole 20,500 lira
--->
(Forte del Marmi) eh

La Spezia
! Ai Due Gemelli Riomaggiore - on cliffs overlooking the sea - 50,000 lira

Portavenere: Ristorante Miramare
* Tagliolini alla ?pulpe? di granchio
* Spiedino di gambertai o scampi
* Wine: Vericchio dei Castello di Jesi
51,000 lira
(La Spezia)

----------
Weds 11
Windy
(Manarola)
(Corniglia)
Cinqueterre villages (by car)
B
Monterosso:
Ristorante Moretto - outdoor on the street leading down to beach (last restaurant):
* Pansetti con salsa noci
Frito misto
35,000 lira ($!)

Monterosso: Enoteca
--->
(back through Pignone & SS 1)

sun bathe - hotel

La Spezia - in the city itself, middle of town -
family place, all serious Italian eaters, mostly single men:
Restaurant da Sandro - via del Prione, 268
Trittico della casa
Coniglio (al forno) alla cacciatora
(Tonno affumicato con pomodori)
Peperoni all brace
24,000 lira

Il Sorbetto: Amareno, Passion fruit
(La Spezia)

----------
Thurs 12
gas 40,000 lira
B
"Golfo":
San Terenzo
Lerici
Tellaro

Bocca di Maggra
& back through Omeglio
* Lerici: Magica del Gelato! (ice cream)

Portovenere
David tried kayak
sun bathing

Trattoria Tre Torre ("where locals eat")
Trenette al pesto (good)
Minestrina in brodo
Soghole ai ferri (sole)
Insalata mista
+ cover 4
45,000 lira

(La Spezia)

----------
Fri 13
La Spezia:
Museum civico: Ligurian archaeology
Turistar - train schedule
---> Mt. Grappe
---> (Moneglia: La Ruota restaurant - $ ! )
--->
S. Margherita Ligure

American Bar
Foccaccio & Sangria
Crostone napoletano = toast with mozzarella, tomatoes, capers, anchovies
18,500 lira

(looked for hotels)
Tourist Office: sent us to:
Hotel: Nuovo Riviera 60,000 lira

Portofino drive & walk

(hotel restaurant)

Trattoria "Goito" - Via Goito #18 - found after long search - girls giggling in kitchen
Insalata di mare
Insalata di riso
Contorni de stagione
24,000 lira - cheap finally!

ice cream: Mirtello, Malaga - both good - & pastries

(S. Margherita Ligure) (near Portofino)

----------
Saturday 14
pasticerria!
Poretofino
J $150 @ 1161 (awful) - 2000 llira
--->
Genova
Staz. Brigante: Tourist Office
Hotel Della Pasta (2 star) - Via Balbi 24 - 45,000 lira, no bath
---> (drive) (east coast)
---> Savona & hills above --- autostrada ---
---> Genova Airport: Budget
D changed $40 @ 1200 (no charge)
Taxi to Staz. Principe - 20,000 lira (for both)

* Al Veliero - Via Ponte Calvi -in Arab-y section
Spaghetti all'arrabiata
Zuppa di Marisco - with orata (fish) / dorada (Span.) - bouilliabaise fore-runner!
42,000 lira

Trafic: noisy, light, hot night, barely slept + drug-dealing out the window in alleys
(Genoa)

----------
Sunday July 15
(Genova)
8:23 Staz. Principe - train - 88,400 lira for both
crowded, but big group of kids got off at Cannes
-----------> 1:43 Marseilles
------> 2:06 Aix-en-Provence

[see 1990_France.rtf]

----------
----------