Pompei and Pizza in Naples

DAY FOUR: NAPOLI
We experienced the great and evil city of Pompei! This first picture is Mount Vesuvius from the cab on the way to Pompei. When they excavated the city they would find a cavity and fill it up with cement--that is the figure in the following picture. The dog mosaic was the entrance to someones house.
After Pompei we went to the best pizza in the world: Da Michele--still making pizza since 1870! As you can see by the menu, there are only two kinds of pizza: Magherita=marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and just marinara pizza. Doesn't it look good? It was so yummy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN!

Yes, we had steak. Ann commented that she didn't think she had ever had steak in our house before. She is probably right, but anything for the birthday boy!
I am grateful for Ben's gentle nature. We have a neighbor that always called him Gentle Ben. But underneath that gentle nature is someone that is fully in touch with his own likes and dislikes and has the courage to embrace them no matter what others think. So heres to steak, banana cream pie and no jeans! Love you lots,
MOM

Kurt Among the Flowers

A little break in my Mediterranean tour to let you take a peek at spring. I walked past Kurt two minutes ago with his hands full of stocks and made him stop so I could smell them. I said "Those are my favorite flowers." One minute later, me at my computer writing about Kurt and flowers, he walks in with one stock stem in a vase and places it next to me. He does a good job in surrounding me with things I love and of course, more importantly, him.

Discovering America and the Best Pasta

DAY THREE: GENOVA

Birthplace of Columbus and the best pasta I ever had! The lasagna was not stacked but gently blended with a bright green pesto. The ravioli was black on one side, white on the other. The walnut sauce was the best part.



Outside the restaurant



Birthplace of Columbus

Andrew and France

DAY TWO: MARSEILLE, AIX EN PROVENCE, CASISS
We stopped the cab and jumped out to our first patisseries in France! It was the first one we saw and some thought it a waste of time but patisseries in France are never a waste of time. The taste is still on my tongue. Andrew, our cab driver and eight hour guide to southern France was ever so gracious. Karla spent the day learning French all over again and I even recall a few phrases like, "Dan la bas!" (In the back, which never came in handy.)

Isn't It All About the Food?

DAY ONE: BARCELONA
Yes, this is just one gelato picture with more to come. And the market in Barcelona was eye candy enough for a sugar overdose! We rarely saw any overweight Spaniards or French or Italians. They eat locally grown food fresh from the market everyday and walk, walk, walk! It was a great constrast to the overweight Americans at Legoland just a week ago. I couldn't believe the contrast.