Edelweiss in Garmisch, Germany July 2011

This weekend we went on a Marriage Retreat In Germany.  We rode a tourist bus up to the Edelweiss Resort in Garmisch, Germany. It took about 7 hours to get there and only about 5 to get back.  The view and scenery was amazing!  We passed probably a thousand or more fields of grape vines, thirty or more castles, waterfalls, beautiful mountains & lots of other amazing sights. 

As we drove through Italy the mountainous country side was filled with vineyard after vineyard of grape vines.  They would start in the valley and just go up the mountain for miles!  I would NOT want to be the grape picker having to hike up those trails to pick the grapes!  

Most of the castles we saw where in Italy too.  They were positioned on the side or tops of the mountains and were just beautiful.  It was hard to imagine the life back in the day when people actually lived in those castles and wore the fancy clothes and there were Kings and Queens of the lands with servants and knights in shining armor.  Every now and again we could see a tall thin water fall flowing straight down the mountain or a thicker waterfall bouncing down rocks into the river that flowed through the valley. 

The trip took us through Austria.  The country side was greener and the mountains began to get higher and rockier than those in Italy.  The nice thing is, when you travel to a different country within Europe you don’t have to go through boarder control or customs or anything.  We went from Italy to Austria to Germany and it was no different than traveling from Virginia to NC and into SC.  I’m not sure if it was because we were in a large tour bus or if that is just how it is for everyone.

While in Austria, we stopped at a rest area with a McDonalds.  It was CROWDED! Seriously, there were 5 registers open and at least 6 people or families in each line.  As I was waiting in line I noticed the view from the McD was beautiful.  The rest area was on the side of a mountain overlooking a valley and then more mountains on the other side.   Even though the entire seating area on one side was windows facing the valley, I didn’t get any pictures bc there were too many people sitting and standing for me to even get close to the windows with the camera. 

It took, I’m guessing about 30 minutes in the line and then another 5 waiting on the sandwich! I think the problem was the language barrier.  The main language in Austria is German (I think).  I was listening to other people order who spoke things like Chinese or Korean or french (or trying to anyways, it was loud in there) and they were mostly just pointing to the menu.  Unfortunately, since I only speak English and enough Italian to get me by, I was concerned that the cashier wouldn’t understand me.  They had a much smaller menu than the US McD has.  When I got to the counter I asked in English if they guy spoke English and he said YES!  I communicated our order slow and as clearly as possible and only had one hang up trying to order Jonathan a Pistachio Milkshake.  I said Pistachio and they guy didn’t understand so I looked at the German menu and pronounced it how it looked ‘pistaciara’ or something like that and he understood! (funny bc the words are only like 3 letters different and didn’t sound at all like the other milkshakes (choc, strawberry, vanilla) so you would have thought he would have gotten what I was saying in the beginning.  Anyways- I got Jonathan a Bigmac, Amber nuggets, and I ordered a regular cheeseburger.  Unfortunately, my cheeseburger was not ready and after 5 minutes of waiting for them to make a CHEESEBURGER. I said “Fine- Just Give me something ELSE!”.  The guy grabbed a sandwich and called it a number 3.  Well the number 3 was a cheeseburger with no Onions and no Pickles or mustard and WITH mayo, ketchup, tomato, and lettuce.  Really? McD cook could make a DELUX cheese burger but he couldn’t make a regular cheeseburger in 5 minutes!  Damn Austrians!  The burger patties seemed to taste better than the ones in the US and my patty was hanging off the bun but Jonathan said his bigmac had smaller patties than in US.

The bathrooms was strange too. . well just the toilet. It was self seat cleaning. When you flushed the seat began to turn and this little blue box at the back of the seat started spraying water on the seat then it started drying the seat with warm air.  I still didn't sit on the seat but it was kind of comforting knowing it had been cleaned. Besides that stop, we were only in that country for a little bit so I didn’t see much else.

As we got into Germany, we could tell right away where we were.  The houses, businesses, and country side were just as you would see them in a post card or in a movie.  It was almost surreal to see this in person.  Germany was even greener and cleaner than Austria.  Even the fields that looked abandoned were well groomed.  There were no Trailer parks or Ghetto areas (that we saw anyways) and each house was adorned with flowers in its yard and on the window and patio areas.  

I consider myself a geographically challenged individual because I don’t know squat about geography and I just recently learned where Austria and Croatia and Greece and all those other places are so I wasn’t surprised to find out that apparently, lower Germany is nothing but mountains!  BIG POINTY GRAY and mostly treeless mountains.  They are Gigantic and gorgeous and snow covered on the top.  The weather was on one day, a high of about 72 but the normal temp there is about high 60’s this time of year.  While we were there, it dipped to a low of maybe 30’s or lower at night.  The weather was rainy in the evening but not really dreary until the last day.  The morning we woke up on the last day, we looked outside and the mountains in the distance had a fresh dusting of snow on them! Just to remind you, this weekend was the dead middle of SUMMER, July 17!!  

As we approached the resort, about 25 miles out, the roads started to get curvy and the bus had trouble getting up them.  The roads in Germany and Austria are wider than in Italy so that helped but the steepness didn’t.  Finally as we arrived at Edelweiss, we had to show our Military IDs to get onto the resort property.  The resort was very in theme with the surrounding look of the community and of Germany.  We could see a Cable car track going up the mountain and later enquired to see how much the ride would be.  For 9 minutes up, stay at the lookout as long as you want (don’t miss the last ride down for the night) then 9 minutes down it was $36 per person.  (They took dollars at the Edelweiss even though Germany is on Euro money system).  You got $3 back when you reached the bottom for returning your electric key card.  We decided that we wouldn’t do it, even though it looked fun and the views would be crazy.  A couple in our group did it and gave us mixed reviews. She didn’t think it was worth the money but he did think it was so IDK, I guess we will judge for ourselves next time if we try it.

Our hotel room liked like a typical American hotel except for missing a few American amenities.  There were no American Outlets, No microwave, and no air conditioner.  The room was centrally temperature controlled by floor so we had no thermostat but they did provide a portable fan which we used when we got warm.  I guess since the temperature is so cool there most of the time they don’t need air conditioners. We didn’t have a microwave but there was a mini fridge which was nice but not very cold.  

There were 3 restaurants at the lodge.  2 were by reservation and 1 was buffet style.  We only ate at 2 of them.  The Buffet was called Market Station.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner was included in our retreat but the prices otherwise would have been $8.95 for breakfast + $2.95 for kids, 11.95 for Lunch, and 15.95 for Dinner. I think it was worth the price. The breakfast was hot with bacon, eggs, potatoes, biscuit, gravy, toast bagels, grits, oatmeal, English muffins then a cold area with yogurt, fruit, and some other stuff and also a guy making omelets by request.  For lunch the buffet had a different main entrée each day like turkey with gravy, stroganoff, pasta, etc.  They always offered a ham/cheeseburger and chicken sandwich station and salad bar, 2 soups, and desert bar.  Dinner was really good too.  One night we ate at the buffet and the other night at the reservation restaurant.  The buffet for dinner had a different theme each night too.  The night we were there they had a guy slicing prime rib on a carving table (Delish), and baked chicken, pasta, potatoes, green beans, etc & the salad & dessert bar of course.  The next night (I walked by there to see what they had) it was the same type vegetables but a fish themed dinner.  Some of it was broiled and some was fried but it all looked and smelled great.  The reservation restaurant we went to was called Ziggys.  It was the casual American style restaurant downstairs.  The other place was called Pullman’s and it was a steak house type place.  If you know me, you know I’m a steak girl but Jonathan wanted chicken wings and fried food which sounded good to me too so we chose Ziggys.  They had a special that night for 3 liters of beer in a tall (3 feet tall) draft type dispenser that they brought to the table for $15.  Since I don’t drink beer and Jonathan can’t drink 3 liters of beer in 2 hours, we decided not to get that. . . The prices for mixed drinks and beer in the bottle were reasonable though. $6.75 for a Mai Tai and I think $3.50 for a bud light.  To eat, we ordered Jalapeno poppers, a dozen chicken wings, ½ lb fried shrimp, and onion rings.  Our food was paid for by the retreat but it was only $26 (excluding the drinks) which I thought was reasonable especially for a resort restaurant.  

 The lodge offered internet for $4 for 30 minutes or something like $10.95 a day or $54 a week! I thought that was ridiculous!  I found a little area outside the Market Station restaurant that said free Wi-Fi but we didn’t try it so IDK how it was for speed or anything.  The retreat paid for our childcare as well so Amber got to go play with other kids while we went to the seminar which was nice.  The Child Development Center (CDC) is off the Edelweiss property and across the street at the Military post.  There was a shuttle (thank goodness bc it rained the last 2 days) but we could also walk there.  It was maybe a 10 minute walk right out the back gate behind the resort.  It’s actually quicker than riding the shuttle.  The shuttle has to go out the front gate then into the front gate of the post & get inspected by the MP then the guy gets on the bus and checks everyone’s ID then drive to the CDC to get the kids then leave post & stop at the gate for Edelweiss to get an ID check and bus inspection. .  .so it’s kind of a pain in the butt to ride the shuttle but it was nice in the rain to have it.

Edelweiss had a pool and hot tub area downstairs but we only saw it from a distance when we went to the lower level for snacks at the coffee shop (they serve StarBucks).  Downstairs there is also a Gambling room for adults to play slot machines and a gaming room for the kids to play games.  There is a walking path all the way around the campus of Edelweiss. It’s not long but it’s nice and gives a good view of the mountains of Germany.  There is a small jungle gym playground on the side of the resort for the younger kids too.

I suggest if you want snacks, go across the street to the actual Military post and go to their PX, Commissary, or Shoppette. We went to the shoppette and got snacks which were reasonably priced and had a larger selection than the shop on Edelweiss.  

During our free time outside the seminar time, we walked about 25 minutes into the town near Edelweiss.  It was a beautiful walk. The weather was high 60’s or 70 maybe and the breeze was cool.  There was NO humidity and it was relatively flat so the walk was easy.  It was like walking in a post card or on a movie set because it looks exactly like it is portrayed.  The houses were usually two-story and primarily beige or white.  Most of them had brown or green shutters and dark brown roofs.  The houses and businesses sometimes had huge murals painted on the sides of them.  The mural was usually something that looked biblical like Jesus preaching to a group or the Virgin Mary or Jesus on the cross sometimes.  Some murals were just of random things too but the people in the murals were usually dressed as they would have been in BC, early AD times.  The windows and doorways also had painting of a decorative flower or vine design or random designs above them.  Of course we didn’t travel off the beaten path but just the scenery from the bus ride and the walking around in the town, it seemed like Germany’s people took very good care of their Country.  It seemed safe there too and the people came across as friendlier than in Italy or America.  

When we arrived in the center of town, there was a festival going on.  There was a stage with brass instruments and a tent set up for the people to eat and view the band.  The band, which seemed to be made up of locals, was eating lunch with the crowd of people when we arrived.  Most of the people, especially the men, had on their traditional German clothing.  It was a very strange get up, let me try to describe it. . . They wore knitted calf covers, tight cloth shorts about to the top of the knee, large belt with what looked like a hand warmer hanging from it. The top was a button up, long sleeve, white shirt, tucked in. Over the shirt were the suspenders and there was a strange decorative piece connecting the suspenders in the front about the middle of the chest. Some were wearing a vest over the shirt and suspenders.  The head wear was a full brim hat with a feather or crazy feathers sticking out of it on the top.  Some of the younger guys didn’t have the feather so maybe it was some type of adult or sign of maturity thing but IDK. I didn’t get a good look at the shoes but I think they were just basic black or brown below the ankle boots.  

Even though everyone eating I still wanted a picture of the crazy get up so I walked right up to a random guy and asked to take his picture.  He laughed and agreed, then grabbed me and pulled me to his side and gestured to another guy to take OUR picture.  His sweaty & hairy arm pit was on my shoulder which was pretty gross and I may be traumatized but I really wanted to show you all the crazy outfits so I just endured the repulsiveness of it.  The guys didn’t speak much English but were a little drunk and got a little loud which drew a crowd around us of other sweaty funny dressed guys. I had to show the volunteered photographer how to operate our camera but a LONG 2 minutes later, the picture was taken and I was free of the sweaty pit!  Where is my husband during all this you ask? . . . oh he was standing about 50 yards away watching my shoulder get pit molested by the sweaty German guy and getting a good kick out of it.  I tried to wipe my sweaty shoulder on Jonathan’s arm when I got back to where he was standing but he had already read my mind a shielded himself from the attack. . . 

After calling my therapist, we made our way to a little park just off the main road.  It too was very well maintained and consisted of mostly statues, a water wheel in the creek, flowers, trees, benches, and other park stuff.  At the front, we saw a strange blue statue called the mystical demon of something or another.  He was a skinny, naked and about 6 foot tall completely blue ‘man’ but he was leaning over to the side with one leg in the air so he seemed a little shorter.  I was impressed that his ‘JUNK’ was just dangling out there for the world to see so I figured he deserved a kiss for being so bold! I tried to get Jonathan to do it but he thought that him kissing a naked, ‘junk’ exposed, demon ‘man’ is not seen as COOL in today’s society so he passed.  

We walked back towards Edelweiss and stopped in a little gift shop to buy souvenirs.  They were priced reasonable, as most souvenir shops are, but they were cheaper than the gift shop at Edelweiss.  It was a Sunday so most of the other shops like clothing stores were closed.  Restaurants & cafes were open and I don’t think they close for reposo (the 3 hr Lunch/nap time when everything closes) like here in Italy.  There is a decent sized and beautiful creek running between Edelweiss and the Military post so we stopped there and took pictures of it.  The water was a light greenish blue (aqua) color and clear as could be.  Looking from the bridge at the river was breath taking with the water color, perfectly green trees, and rocky, snow sprinkled mountainous backdrop.  Even though it was next to the main street it was still peaceful.

On one occasion we were outside the front of the Lodge and watched the clouds move in over the mountains from the right and could see the gentle rain moving in over one wing of the hotel very slowly.  It was moving so slow that at one point for a few minutes actually, it was raining on one side of the walkway and NOT raining on the other side.  I walked out from under the awning and stood in the rain. I put my hands out in front of me and moved a little to the left and seriously it was raining in one hand and not in the other.  Finally the rain started moving through faster and it was raining everywhere for just a few minutes then it stopped.  Jonathan got a great picture of a double rainbow that formed to the left of us as the rain stopped.  Even though this trip was only a small taste of Germany, it was enough to convince me that I’d like to come back and see more.

Rome: For the 1st time

Hey Stranger!! So I was kindly reminded by a friend that I have been neglecting my blog.  Unfortunately with my new school schedule this "stay at home mom" gig has become more of a "full time student without time to stay at home & do anything except homework" gig.  This means that my blogging will still be done, just not very often. Maybe monthly. HOPEFULLY MORE OFTEN THOUGH! I'll try I promise!


Hmm, Where did I leave off. . .oh yeah Venice! More recently we took a trip to Rome and it was Amazing!  Short but Amazing! We went with the Army's Outdoor Recreation department (ODR) & it was Jonathan's birthday gift to me too.  The time we spent in Rome was only 24 hours long but it was enough to get a good idea of the history and importance of this most beautiful city.
We got on the Bus in Vicenza at 6:30am and after a few stops for pee and snacks at the Autogrills (rest stops) along the Autostrada (interstate), we made it into Rome at about 2:30pm.  We checked into our hotel just outside of Rome and then boarded the bus again to enjoy a guided tour through Rome.
  There were other tour buses EVERYWHERE and traffic was pretty crazy.  As we rounded the corner and approached the heart of Rome we were able to see the top dome of St. Peter's Church!

The guide told us that in Rome, there are no buildings allowed to be built taller than St. Peter’s Church out of respect for its importance and Beauty.

Just down the street from St. Peter's Church was Castel Sant' Angelo (Saint Angelo Castle).  When I saw the castle just from the bus I was like "WOW!" It was something you would never see in the USA.  It is surrounded by thick walls of concrete and kind of looks like it would have a moat around it or maybe did at one time.

 

After we finished the little bus tour we had free time and headed with another couple to The Hard Rock Cafe.  Apparently you need reservations like 2 days in advance and they didn't have an availability when we called but we took a buzzer when we arrived with an expected 30 minute wait.  Jonathan ran in the gift shop and bought a shirt, I think it was 30 euro.  The sizes are different too. Jonathan bought an XL which is larger than he usually wears but the shirt was shorter than his L American shirts and tighter on the arms.  The wait estimate was about right because we only waited maybe 35 minutes for a seat.  The staff new English pretty well, enough to order our food anyways.  Jonathan and I both ordered burgers and I got Amber a side dish of Mac and Cheese and gave her part of my burger and fries.  The mac and cheese side was cheaper than the kids meal and we had brought water with us to drink so we saved money by not having to order her a drink.  The guy brought her a Hard Rock kids cup anyways though.  The food was great and worth the wait and price which is no worse than USA Hard Rock Cafes.  


It was getting dark by the time we left Hard Rock and it seemed that Rome had transformed just in those few hours that we were eating!  Each popular building, fountain, and statue was lit up and the night life was much calmer than the busy daytime.  Everything looked different and even more beautiful in the night time than at daytime.  We walked around and took pictures for about 2 more hours then had to take a taxi to the hotel because the metro shuts down at 8pm.  
Let me explain the taxi procedure... When you see a group of taxis there is a certain code of taxi honor that must be upheld and the drivers take it VERY seriously.  Each taxi driver has his turn and in a certain order.  They line up on a street and you must go to the taxi in the front of the line because it is his turn.  We asked about 3 drivers before we finally realized what they were explaining to us.  The line is LONG too! I bet we walked 3 blocks before we found the front of the taxi line.
Finally when we got a taxi, we asked the estimate price to get to our hotel and he said 15 euro.  We accepted the price and loaded up.  As we started moving we realized that the taxi driver was CRAZY!! He was driving like a maniac and swerving and laughing and talking to us and looking back at us while he was driving! It was scary but we got there safe and quick and it only cost 13 euro so I can't complain. 


The next day we had complimentary breakfast at the hotel and headed back on the bus to downtown Rome.  We didn’t know this at the time but there is a market held on the weekends in front of the Castle so we walked through it and walked right up beside the Castle!  

The Market was like all the other ones; clothes, jewelry, sunglasses, souvenirs, paintings, human statues and the occasional African man trying to sell you a knock off Frada, Lewie  or Coochie  bag/glasses out of a sheet laying on the street.  (Prada, Louise Vuitton, Gucci)  Obviously this is illegal so when the Po-po come rollin’ through the guys grab up their illegal items and run off into the crowd.  I was approached by a guy selling some fake LV and Prada bags.  I found a few that I liked but they were obviously fake (visible dried hot glue and all scratched up on the bottom from being set on the street).   The guy said 25 Euro for the Prada bag I liked (the one that was not completely fake looking). He said “LOOK! It’s a da Prada!” with his strange African accent while pointing at the Prada emblem on the side of the purse.  I laughed and said “Ok well all know it’s not REALLY Prada!” so he laughed and pointed again at it saying, “LOOK, It says a da Prada!” Lol. Yes it did say prada. I heckled with him for a while and finally got the bag for 13 Euro. I looked the bag up at home and the Prada store is selling the same one (last season) for over $500 so besides it being FAKE I’m ok with ppl thinking I have a Prada bag, lol. 

 The other interesting thing at the market were the Human Statues.  People dress up in some fancy or creative garb and sit or stand really still like a statue and tourists give them tips in their tip jar. Some of them are dumb but others are pretty cool.  Jonathan tipped the Egyptian guy bc we passed him like 3 times and he never even moved! Not to mention it was like 80 Degree that day so you know he was HOT! 

After admiring the Human statues we took some pictures beside the Castle.

It wasn’t as big as I thought it would be right up close but maybe we were on the smaller side?  We didn’t have much time so we headed over to St. Peter’s by foot so we could possibly go in and catch the Catholic mass being performed by the pope. . .

Unfortunately- The Pope was in Croatia for the weekend that we were in Rome so we watched a little bit of the mass being broadcasted live on these huge TVs in St. Peter's Square.  Since there was no mass the Church was open to the public  so we decided to stand in this LONG line to walk through it.  As we got in line we noticed what we had been warned about. . . People trying to cut the line!  This Indian looking older guy was standing behind me with another Indian guy and they slowly were working there way beside me, then started moving in FRONT OF ME and bumping elbows with me almost pushing me aside in slow motion. I was pushing Amber in her umbrella stroller so as he got just a tad bit ahead of me I turned the stroller a little bit and put the front tire just in front of his foot.  A couple seconds later the line started moving again and when he tried to step he tripped over my stroller!! Haha! That's what you get Biatch!! IDK if they knew English but i was pretty much cussing them out the entire time.  Can you cuss in St. Peter's Square?? Oh well. . . 

After about 5 minutes in a line that was barely moving, we decided this was ridiculous and left for lunch before making it even 20 feet closer to the Church than we had started.  From the picture below you can't even see the beginning of the line! 

We didn't know where we wanted to eat lunch at so we walked down an ally on the right side of St. Peter's Square.  The restaurants were glamorous and the seating was mostly outside at tables on the street under umbrellas and guys walk by playing the accordion (but they expect a tip for if you just want to take their pic).  Speaking of outside seating. Have you ever seen a sign in the USA saying you can dine 'Al Fresco'? To us in the USA this means outside seating right? Well in Italy, Al Fresco means In Prison! lol. Don't know how THAT got adopted into the United States but I thought it was pretty Funny.  We finally chose this restaurant right near St. Peter's square.  It was pretty expensive and I don't recommend eating neat St. Peter's square bc all the prices are inflated bc of tourists! It was pretty good food but not worth the cost.  I had spaghetti for 12 euro that I shared with Amber.  Jonathan had the usual- Gnocchi.  My drink was a sprite in a can that cost 4 euro and Jonathan's 44oz beer was 14 Euro! . . .  

After finishing lunch we went for dessert at a gelato (Ice cream) place on the left side of St. Peter's square.  It was delish as usual and not too expensive! Italy really does know how to make Ice cream.  We had a few minutes before the bus was coming to pick us up at the pick up point in front of St. Peter's Square so we went souvenir shopping next.  Each few meters there is a shop or kiosk selling souvenirs.  The prices in the shops are obviously a little more expensive and I doubt they will work with you on the price.  The Kiosks are usually ran by African American men and they will usually give you a better price if you buy more.  The magnets were about 2-3 Euro, Shot glasses 4-5 euro, Rosary beads in the case were about 7-15 euro depending on the style and material.  They sold other things like postcards, small replicas of the basilica or dome, pope stuff, shirts, and usual souvenirs too.  The bus showed up right after and tour buses can only park in these loading areas for a few minutes so we all hurried onto the bus.  Unfortunately, this meant our trip to Rome was over and we were heading home.  The trip home took FOREVER! I think we left Rome about 2:15-30 and didn't get back to Vicenza until about 11pm!  

We will be going back to Rome in October when my family visits and we actually have tickets to see the Pope at his usual Wednesday crowd blessing (I don't know the actual name of it).  I will blog about that too & hopefully we will get to see more! 

Venice

Our first stop on our Italian adventure was in Venice or Venezia as the Italians call it.  I was able to go to Venice last week with a group lead by an Italian native, then Amber, Jonathan, & I went back yesterday.  The city is absolutely amazing and pictures honestly do it no justice.  Venice consists of 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea.

I learned that the 'city built on the sea' saying is no joke.  The buildings of Venice are built on closely spaced wood piles placed in the sea on a soft layer of sand & mud.  The wood sinks down until it reaches a hard layer of clay.  This is still happening in some places even to this day I've heard.  The wood does not decay under the water because of the absence of Oxygen.  The wood is actually petrified because of the constant flow of water around and through it so it becomes a stone-like structure. On top of the wood was placed large flat stones creating the base for the city.  If I understood correctly this construction came about in the year 421. Yes I said year four hundred twenty-one. That's over 1,500 years ago!  Ok That's enough history for now. . .

When I stepped out of the train station & as I was going down what reminded me of court house stairs, I realized I was standing about 50 yards from the Grand Canal.  The canal is the water way that looks like a backwards S and runs through the middle of Venice.  The breeze was blowing and there was a little bit of a fish smell but I'm assuming that is because I was 50 yards from a part of the ocean. 

Both times I visited Venice we walked left from the train station.  The first thing I saw as we started walking was the area where Waterbus tickets could be bought and the loading area for the waterbus. 

 A little further down the shopping area starts.  There are small vendor stands selling souvenirs like magnets, jewelry, key chains, t-shirts, post cards. You name it and I think there was a vendor selling it!  A large interest in Venice are masks. 

 There are probably a million different masks to be seen & bought in Venice.  Most of them are handmade right in the shop and you can watch.  Most stores with Masks have signs saying no Cameras.  I was told this was because each piece is an original and the creator does not want his ideas replicated.  But you all know me! Never following the rules- So I took a few pics anyways!

There are many other stores too like gift shops, clothing stores, shoe stores, Pharmacies, and any other store you could think of that a tourist town would have.  Glass making is another specialty of theirs.  They make all kind of things out of glass. Pendants, beads, ashtrays, plates, vases, cups, shot glasses, other decorative pieces, & pretty much anything else you can think of.

Restaurants were a plenty too!  Inside or outside fancy dining, casual dining, dining with patio dining on the Grand Canal, sandwich shops with no seating, pastry shops, bread shops, candy stores, fruit and vegetable markets, meat shops, & McDonalds.  We stopped at McDonalds to use the bathroom which was unisex like the rest as smelled like pee.  We also got a milkshake each which was 1.90 Euro. 
I did notice as we walked that I didn't see any food vendors like hotdog or carnival food vendors in America.  It seemed like no matter which dining experience you chose that the experience would be one of a kind.  We chose to eat outside in a square near Giovanni e Paolo Basilica.  

They had a 'tourist special' as i like to call those type deals.  A pasta & drink for 10 Euro.  I had spaghetti & coke which I shared w/ Amber & Jonathan had Nocchi.  The portion size was small so I didn't think this deal was that great compared to the 10 Euro deal we've had at other places in Vicenza.  I'm assuming it's that way because Venice is more touristy and because Venice is a more expensive city than Vicenza.  

After lunch we headed to St Mark's Basilica. The first time I came to Venice I was just walking with my group kind of ignoring the guide, taking pictures, and we walked into this wide open space that was very different than any other plaza I'd seen in Venice.  The air was different and cooler and there was kind of a calmness about the area even though there were people everywhere.  I heard the guide say something about St. Mark's Basilica and I turned around and to my left there it was.  This is a HUGE church I thought.  It really was amazing to see. The architecture is a mixture of Byzantine and Gothic.  The outside of the Church is magnificent and decorated with many statues, mosaics and the grand domes.  The interior is enormous and the ceiling are very high.  Most of the basilica is free to get in but there is a line and no cameras are allowed (Opps, my bad, hehehe).  There are mosaics everywhere.  Upstairs you can see the celebrated Pala d'Oro (golden alterpiece studded with gems) but you have to pay to see this, as well as countless other sculptures and works of art.


e had been in Venice about 4 hours at this point and were getting tired so we headed right along the Grand Canal. My guide from the first trip to Venice told us that the movie district (where they film all the movies made in Venice) was to the left about 2km from St. Mark's but we didn't walk there because we were out of time.  As we made the walk down the side of the Grand Canal we saw more street vendors and I stopped to buy some Venezia magnets to send back to family and friends in the States.  Right before we made it to the waterbus ticket booth I noticed a sign saying 1.50 Euro to use the bathroom!! Good thing we went in the McDonalds that we stopped at for Icecream. 

The waterbus ride costs by the hour or day. We got the 1 hour ticket that cost 6 something euro each. Amber was free :)  There are waterbuses. They are just like a regular bus with different numbers and they have different destinations. We got on the one that took us back to the train station.  The ride down the Grand Canal was so nice. The view of the buildings and architecture and the other boats riding by is incredible.  The bus gets a little crowded at times but other than that I'd say this is the way to see Venice. 


As we arrived back at the train station we had about 45 minutes til our train left so we got gelato (italian ice cream) and found our train. Luckily the train was already there and we were able to board early instead of sitting in the heat.  Amber took a nap on the 1 hour ride back & I think Jonathan & I drifted off a few times too.  It was a busy but amazing day.  Venice is a place anyone who visits Italy should see. Now I wonder if all the rest of the major places in Italy will be as nice?

Toilets (AKA- the Hole), Beer vending machines, and $2 box wine

 
I don’t really have a theme for this weeks blog but I guess you could call it a random one.  I just wanted to explain some of the crazy things we’ve experienced since coming here.  One being the Toilets. . .

Luckily in most places I’ve been there have been public bathrooms.  Not so luckily in most places there is no soap and the towels is a piece of cloth on what looks like a paper towel dispenser but it just goes around in a circle when you pull it so the same piece of cloth is used for very person who needs to dry their hands there.  I’ve also been warned that some places do not have toilet paper!  I’ve not experienced any of those yet but I have started packing klennex in my purse just in case.

In one of our experiences I took Amber to a restroom inside a restaurant we were eating at.  The sign to the restroom simply said ‘Toilet’ and there was no door, just doors to the stalls and if someone was sitting at the table next to the restroom enterance they could more than likely hear and smell everything you are doing in there!  When we walked into one of the stalls I heard what sounded like a man peeing in the stall beside us.  That’s when I realized the restroom was not gender separated.  When Amber finished her business we walked out of the stall just as the man was walking out of his stall right next to us.  Amber didn’t say anything but I she gave the guys a look like ‘what are you doing in the girl’s bathroom?’  There was one sink for 3 stalls so the man waited as I washed our hands.  Thank goodness they had soap but no paper towels just a hand dryer which I‘m sure half the restaurant could hear us using.  I must admit it was strange standing in a bathroom having just finished our business and washing our hands with a man standing next to us!!

Unfortunately that was not our strangest bathroom experience.  On another occasion we were in a self service restaurant (where you all crowd at the bar & order your food by yelling it out) and as usual, Amber had to use the bathroom.  The sign said toilet again but this time it had a door separating it from the rest of the eatery.  We entered and everything looked nice. A double sink to wash up in, paper towels, and soap!  When we walked into a stall I about choked!  There was no toilet, just a hole in the floor with tile around it and some slip proof stuff designating where to put your feet.  I quickly closed the door and opened the next one hoping that there was a toilet in there.  No such luck.  The hole in the ground was the only toilet they had.  So considering I had a four year old who can’t hold it to pee more than about 10 minutes I had no other choice but to use the hole.  I tried to explain to Amber to squat but she wasn’t getting it so I (against everything in me) decided I needed to do it first so she could understand how.  I pulled down my pants and squated over the hole.  It was not too bad, kind of like camping, lol.  I did get really grossed out when I almost fell and had to brace myself on the wall.  I’m pretty sure it was covered in dried pee splatters from the men who used that hole.  Amber went after me and did ok. I helped her squat and almost stepped into the hole trying to stand her back up!  To flush the hole there is a button on the wall that you push.  Ok enough potty talk, I’m getting grossed out again!

Someone told me that it’s probably not a good idea to give the OK hand signal. Ya know the one with your index and thumb touching and remaining fingers pointed upwards.  Apparently this means ‘A** hole’ to Italians.  I’ve never done it but I can see myself doing it one day by mistake had I not known this!

At the Commissary I saw a BOX of wine for about $2 ! I don’t drink wine (yet) but I’m assuming $2 is pretty cheap.  Considering Soda is like $1.50 at the Commissary and like 2.50 Euro or more if you get it at a restaurant and there are NO free refills.

I’ve noticed there is an abundance of churches in this area. Luckily only one church with functioning church bells in each town though.  The bells ring what seems like every day light hour, usually on the half hour, before mass, after mass, and one time it was like 2:45pm on a Tuesday and they were ringing so I don’t know why that was.

I’ve not talked to many Italians for very long but from overhearing conversations I’ve determined that the Italians have picked up quite a few of out English words and just insert them randomly into their conversations.  From the minimal Italian I know I translated one conversation between a dad and his son to be something like ‘if you are well behaved today you can eat  (<< that part in Italian) The hotdog (<<in English) Blah Blah something else in Italian about being bad and then his phone rang & he started talking & said ‘Paparazzi’ in English like 4 times & then he laughed.  IDK why it amused me but I almost laughed out loud.

I forgot to mention while at the grocery store Emisfero that the eggs are not refrigerated here.  They are close to the refrigerated foods but not in it.  Horse meat is in the refrigerated foods though.  Looks like shredded beets!  Pretty gross stuff.

Seen any vending machines lately?  I have!  Mostly consisting of condoms and cigarettes.  Now on post there are regular ones with Gatoraid and chips and NO cigarette vending machines.  Off post it’s pretty scary what you can buy from one of those things.  I’m gonna take a picture next time!  I’ve seen Chocolates next to cigarettes next to bottled carbonated Italian drinks, and beer! Yes I said Beer in a Vending machine!  I didn’t full inspect the machine but I didn’t see any way how it could verify someone age.  The drinking age here is 16. The driving age is 18.

Can’t believe I’m sitting here on a Friday night BLOGGING so I’m done for now.

The Italian Vehicle Registration Pain in our Butt Process!

How to Register and Plate your vehicle in Italy- Thanks BEKI for reminding me to Blog about this VERY important Topic.  It's mostly for Military families or People moving to Italy that are bringing a vehicle (POV).

First of all- SHIP YOUR CAR (POV) ASAP so it arrives when you do or even BEFORE you arrive!  Being in a foreign country relying on public transportation is a BIATCH!  When your vehicle leaves the port to be shipped to Italy you must have your license plates off and in the trunk.  You must have at least American Insurance but it's suggested that you have International Insurance & the title or a letter from the lending agency allowing you to take it over seas.  Your american insurance won't cover it out of the US so you need to cancel it and start your International Insurance when you drop your car at the port (it's EXPENSIVE, $200/mo international insurance for our 2004 Kia Rio).  When you cancel the American insurance the DMV sends you a nasty letter saying you owe $250 because you let your insurance laps and didn't turn in your plates (which you can't turn in until you get to Italy, pick up your car & remove them from your trunk & mail them back to the States).

When the car arrives in Italy it's a two day process to pick it up. First get your Italian Driver's license. After you have that you have to go to the Torry Vehicle place on the bus or hitch a ride.  First you have to get your license plate number which they will give at the Torry place.  Next, leave Torry and go to a phone.  Call your insurance company and tell them you need the yellow & white window proof of insurance card.  They will overnight it to the BMV place across from the church gate off Camp Ederle which you can walk to.  Day 2- Go pick up your yellow & white window insurance card from BMW place & go back to Torry Vehicle place.  There, you will have to pay $20 and 5 Euro to have the vehicle registered & to get International plates.  Next you will go next door to the Vehicle Processing Center and inspect the vehicle of damage that happened in transit.  Finally you get possession of the vehicle!  You must then remove all American decals/bumper stickers including Government decals & post stickers (per Army regs), attach your new plates, and place the yellow/white proof of insurance in the sticky envelope and stick it to the passenger side of your windshield.

Yay! Now you can drive the vehicle but do not pass GO- do not collect $200.  Instead, drive directly to the vehicle inspection place on Camp Ederle.  Next, you will fail the inspection because of the back/parking brake (oh yes, this will happen to most of you, more about THAT later).  When you fail you need to drive the vehicle to the Car Care center on post and see if they can fit you in that day.  Otherwise, you have 30 days to make an appointment and get the brakes inspected or your gas card will be REVOKED! (Sorry I'm not paying $8.80/gallon of gas so we had this appointment scheduled immediately).  Tell the Car Care center you need a brake inspection because it failed the initial inspection.  That was a $28 expense for us. . .
Want to avoid the brake failure and having to pay the $28?  Either have BRAND SPANKIN' NEW brakes or before you arrive at the Inspection place on post drive with the Emergency Brake slightly on so you warm up the back/parking brakes.  Not enough to make them smell!  The straight away before you drive into the main gate is a great place to do this because you are going a steady speed.  This will present a better reading to the brake inspection machine which is a piece of POOP & reads incorrectly 99 % of the time.  We know this because when we took the vehicle to the Car Center & the repair man knew why we were there & told us how to prevent it next time.  This was AFTER he inspected our brakes which were at 70% BTW and after he collected the $28!

If you actually have bad brakes they will have to order the parts (there is no stock) so expect another few days to wait on that.  Once brakes are fixed or you have the paperwork that says you paid the 28 unnecessary dollars and your brakes are FINE take the paperwork to the Vehicle Inspection Place in Torry and then you are DONE! The vehicle is registered, licensed, insured, and ready to be driven legally!

Our first shopping experience at an Italian Grocery Store

We finally went shopping at a local Italian Grocery Store! It was for sure an experience but we tried to blend in. I only wanted to punch about 4 people for bumping into me & Amber or about plowing us over and not saying excuse me but that’s the way people are here so I tried to ignore it. The store was called Emisfero and it was located inside the mall called Palladio. It was kind of like a Walmart I’d say. There was a small department for clothing but I didn’t notice if there were shoes. There was a department for household goods, garden center, party supplies, electronics, baby items, etc. The strange things was that you had to deposit .5 Euro to rent a shopping cart! We got a small basket with a handle & wheels that was free.
The main part of Emisfero’s was the grocery store. It was isle after isle of Italian foods. There was a large selection of fresh fish (and you can smell it before you see it), fresh meat or packaged meats already weighed out, frozen meats, and live animals just roaming the store waiting to be purchased. . . Ok not really live animals! I was just seeing if you were paying attention! The selection of bread like sandwich bread and hot dog or burger buns was scarce but loaves of fresh bread seemed plentiful. Of course the cheese selection was wide and packaging varied from prepackaged processed cheese to fresh sliced or by the chunk that you would have to slice yourself at home.
My favorite isle was the pasta isle! There was pasta for what seemed like miles! Round pasta, square, thin, pinwheel shaped, pasta nests, ziti, flat pasta! I didn’t even know they made pasta in so many styles! I’m not joking when I say there had to be a thousand different pasta varieties and styles!
The other parts of the store that had a large selections were the dessert or cookie isles, frozen foods, yogurt, & wine/beer. There was probably five to six isles of Italian cookies and desserts. I’ve not tried any yet but I’ve heard the Italians love their desserts but they do not taste good to Americans! The frozen department had mostly the same type frozen things we have in America just more of it and in most of it in Italian. Jonathan picked out some pistachio Ice Cream. It was about 4.50 euro for 6 pretty good size ice cream bars. The yogurt isle was crazy! Both sides of the 25 ft long isle was nothing but yogurt! I didn’t buy any but I heard it was really good. We will try some another time & let you know. I just glanced at the wine and beer isle, I mean isles! There was a very large selection and I saw one bottle of wine that was 60 euro! I noticed the canned beer was packaged by the 2 pack, yes I said two! Jonathan bought a 3 pack of Budwieser. It was just over 3 euro if I remember correctly.
A department that I found lacking was the soda isle. It wasn’t even really an isle but more like a display in between two isles. We found coca cola packaged in a 4-pack of 1 liter bottles for about 5 euro and they had Pepsi by the regular 2 liter bottle but I didn’t see the price on those. The other soda they had was lemon flavored (we got that kind) orange, grape, and that’s all I can remember. They drink a lot of carbonated water here I guess because that was something I saw a lot of. The lemon soda tastes like carbonated lemonaid. It’s much better cold. The lemon soda is not bad but I think it would be better to use as a mixer with vodka or something rather than just drinking a cup of it with lunch or something.
When we got to the fresh fruit and vegetable section it was crowded but smelled wonderful! I’m going to assume most things sold there were from local growers because everything smelled & looked very fresh. We got strawberries (a regular size you would buy in America) for 1.29 euro. We didn’t need anything else but I might start going there for my fruits and vegetables so I’ll let you know how that goes.
The check out was different than in America because they charge you for the bags if you don’t bring your own. When we are loading your items onto the belt you grab a few bags from under the register and after she scans the items you start bagging your own groceries. We had 4 bags and there was a .2 euro charge at the end of our receipt so I’m assuming the bags are .5 euro each. We will bring our own bags from now on! Obviously they only take Euro or Credit cards. We paid with Credit/debit. The cashier slides your card for you. As for the receipt, everything was listed out with the price and the total at the bottom just like in America.
I personally liked Emisfero better than the Commissary & PX because of their larger selections but I don’t know if they accept coupons and I’m not even sure where to get the coupons if they do accept them. I think I’ll get my fresh fruits and vegetable and some different Italian foods and maybe some household goods from Emisfero but the regular American foods that I have coupons for I will get at the Commissary.


　

Things to bring if you are traveling or perhaps moving to Italy

We’ve been in Italy almost a month now and I’ve been making a list of things one should bring (or make a priority to buy when first getting here) if one were to travel here.  I’ll explain why you need each item as I go.

First, You’ll need adapters for your electronics like cell chargers, hair straighteners, etc. . . You can buy them here or before you leave the states. We found a multi-pack at Walmart with the luggage before we left the states but didn’t buy them. In Italy the voltage of a general wall outlet is 220 which is higher than in the USA. I thought before I got here “OMG I’m gonna forget one day and plug an American electronic in the European wall and electrocute myself!”. Luckily for me I no longer have to worry because the outlets look way different and it’s impossible to even plug American plugs into European outlets. The European outlets are two round holes, one on top and one on bottom and a smaller one in between all in a straight horizontal line. As you all know, in America, there are two slots side by side and a roundish hole in the middle below the two slots. So obviously, it is impossible to plug either one into the other. If you are military and buy these things on post they are $3.95 each. They have surge protectors with multiple ports that cost more but I’m not sure how much more. Also if you are Military and live in the Villaggio Military Housing, the walls are equipped with the American style outlets and European outlets. Other houses & hotels we’ve seen and heard about off post only have the European outlets.
Second thing I suggest you bring are socks or slippers. Besides the hotel we stayed in, all the floors, living room, bedroom, bathrooms, etc are tile and it’s cold. Not only that but unless you sweep like every hour there will be little pieces of dirt or dust or whatever that sticks to your feet when you walk. I don’t know about you but that grosses me out! It’s not so bad just walking around but when I get into bed and all that crap rubs off my feet into the bed I just cringe! Yuck!! & the socks/slippers need to have rubber soles if you are visiting a person with stairs in their home! I almost busted my A$$ coming down my tile stairs in plain socks.
While you are packing socks remember to bring a good pair of walking shoes. Yes there are various ways to get around in Italy if you don’t have a car but the main one for tourists is walking or riding public transit which still requires quite bit of walking. Some days we’ve walked more than 10 miles but on a normal day touring the city I’d say we walk about 3-4 miles. It’s pretty flat here in Vicenza so it’s nothing too strenuous but just the amount of walking will traumatize your feet without the right shoes. I’ve gone from wearing 3” heels 5 days a week to wearing tennis shoes or sandals 7 days a week! The walking isn’t too bad but since the Roads/sidewalks in the city centers and downtowns are mostly brick and broken concrete, pushing a stroller can sometimes be difficult. If you decide to rent a car for long distances that is great but there are many areas in the towns where you can’t drive and very few areas that you can park so it’s not very convenient to have a car especially if you are touring a city center or downtown square. I heard from multiple people that parking in Venice is 20 to 26 Euro per day! (that’s over $30). The few parking areas in Vicenza that I’ve seen are 1.50 Euro per hour ($2.25/hr). You also must have a pass to even drive in some parts of Italy near historic building and in city centers. This is to help reduce pollution around city, keep the streets clean, reduce road deconstruction, and preserve the buildings. Ok I’m getting off topic! I’ll explain more about the roads and driving in a later blog. . .
The next thing I’d suggest bringing or buying when you get here is a satchel that closes tightly and can be worn across your torso or a fanny pack. Ok! OK! I hear you all laughing! A FANNY PACK??!! I forgot to mention in an earlier blog that another large crime issue are the gypsies pick-pocketing. Some squares and outdoor markets are very crowded and people are bumping into you like it’s nothing (Italians are non apologetic about this and it’s just part of their culture to push and shove or bump into others) so it would be easy for someone to reach into your purse or grab something from you without you even noticing. Fanny packs as you know are kept right around your waist and the ‘pack’ part right on your front so a pick-pocketer would have to work pretty hard to get something out of that without your knowing. If you choose this option make sure the buckle in the back is hid under your shirt or something so no one can unsnap it then grab it as it’s falling from you and run. The thing I use is a large purse, more like a hobo Bag. All my stuff sits in the very bottom of the bag and it zips completely closed so no one can get in there un noticed. This is somewhat risky because someone could jerk it from my shoulder so I hold it tightly with my hand or wrap it twice around my arm to prevent this. The Satchel that hangs across the body is probably the best idea. It is almost impossible to have it jerked from you unless the straps are flimsy and break. As long as it zips or closes another way tightly then this is the option I’d suggest. Outdoor markets & shops here sell purses, backpacks, and many other variety of bags for between 10 and 30 Euro. Of course some places are more expensive than that but I usually skip them because I refuse to pay more than about $30/$40 for a bag. I bought my hobo bag from JCPenny before I came. It was only $17 (75% off) I LOVE their sales! I’ll explain more about Markets and shopping later. There are some sellers that you should NOT buy from for risk of being fined by the Police!
Another VERY important thing to bring is good hair conditioner! The water here is HORRIBLE! It has completely fried my hair. My hair was all dry and crinkled on the ends and it was splitting and little pieces started breaking off. About a week after being here is when I first noticed it. I was about to throw my hair straightener away but then later, on the bus, I heard a girl talking about the water here being terrible and how it has ruined her hair too! I’ve noticed it on Amber’s hair as well. I’ve switched to a high protein shampoo and then I’ve been leaving the conditioner in my hair about 5 minutes then rinsing it with insanely cold water. It’s been 2 weeks since I noticed the damage and my ‘treatment’ seems to be working. It’s still really dry but not crinkled or breaking as much.
Along with the hair conditioner you better pack some well hydrating body lotion. Since I’ve moved here, I’ve had to lube up parts of my body I’ve never had to apply lotion to before! Again, it’s because of the water. Poor Amber’s mild eczema seems to be bothering her more here and Jonathan and I were ashier than we’ve ever been before we bought the lotion. I was using Bath & Body works stuff but I’ve had to use so much of it a little travel size bottle only lasted me about 1 day & that stuff ain‘t cheap! Sorry but I can’t afford spending $3.50 a day on body lotion. We’ve switched to Suave. It seems to be working.
The water isn’t the only ‘resource’ that seem different here. The air is different too. As you’ve read in some of my last posts, my allergies are acting crazy here! Other people I’ve talked to are having the same problem. I’ve tried Claritin and Tylenol Sinus but the best thing I’ve used so far is Zyrtec. If you have allergies or sinus problems then you should pack some Zyrtec. Everything is more expensive here and unless you are in the PX or Commissary most things are in Italian so any medication you can bring from home I’d suggest bringing. Also the air is causing my contacts to act up. I usually can leave in my Acuvue 2’s for a few days (against Dr. orders, lol) but here I have to take them out every night or I can’t even open my eyes in the morning and my head is pounding!
Next important thing is, if you want to call the states bring or buy a phone card when you arrive. We found out the hard way that certain cell carriers do not allow their phones to work in other countries (Ie. Sprint). Jonathan was going to keep his cell from the States on for a few days when we first got here just incase we had an emergency but unfortunately when we stepped off the plane and turned it on there was no service. From what I understand he told the cell company we were moving overseas and he wanted to use his phone a few days over here but no one bothered to tell him that was not possible. Some cell companies will allow you too use your phone over seas for a fee (monthly flat charge and/or per call charge up to $3/$4 per minute). I suggest just buying a phone card when you get here. The ones I’ve seen range from $5 to $20 and the rate to call America from Italy is usually between 16 and 30 cents per minute. DON’T USE A PHONE BOOTH THOUGH! Phone booths charge a fee to use them even if you use a phone card. Also if you are here and use a cell phone from the states, you will be charged on your cell bill for the call even if you use the phone card. If you are staying in a hotel the room phones should allow you to use phone cards at no extra charge. The reception desk may have a courtesy phone that allows phone cards too. Another way to call America from Italy is the Magic Jack I’ve heard. I packed mine with household good so I’ve not tried it from Italy yet but I’ll let you know when I do. (to use Magic Jack make sure your computer is online then Magic jack hooks into a USB port of your computer and then you plug a telephone into the magic jack and you have a land line. It worked great when I was in the states).
I’m sure you know the rumor with most places other than America is ‘Don’t Drink the Water!’ Well here, we’ve been drinking the water since day one with no problems. Other’s I’ve talked to say the water upsets their stomachs so if you think there might be a problem you should pack a stomach soother or anti-diarrhea medication just incase.
The people here in most tourist spots speak English but I think learning a few simple phrases is very important incase you are in a situation with someone who doesn’t speak Italian. Carrying a translation book with you is a good idea too. I’ll elaborate in another blog about words and phrases I’ve found most important to learn before coming here. Some may surprise you.
Even though it’s not very safe, I’d suggest you bring some cash too. Airports can convert your Dollars to Euro but most places only accept euro, not debit or credit cards. For Military members, on post, there are two different ATMs. One charges .50 the other one is owned by Community Bank (something like that) and it’s free to withdraw dollars or euro no matter what bank you bank with. I’ll explain the reason u should bring cash and the big deal about using your credit/debit cards and ATMs in another post.

The last few things are pretty obvious things to remember to bring like your camera, back up batteries or your battery charger (again you will need an electronic adapter). Copies of your passport and ID in case your lose the original. If you don’t bring your cell then write down phone numbers out of it for people you might want to call when you are here. It’s crazy how much I relied on my phone to remember numbers for me. I’ve had to email close family members from the states for their numbers because I can’t for the life of me remember them simply because I’ve not actually dialed the NUMBER in years (I always dial by name on my cell).
That’s all I can think of right now but you know I’ll update you with anything else we find that might be useful. Arrivederci for now!