<p>We spent 11 days in Venice in October. D1 was living at San Giorgio Maggiore, one of the 10 residents, and she seemed to know every sandwich shop, every pastry shop, and every jug wine shop in the city. Museums were great, but just following her around with her own tales of Venetian history was even better. We rented an apartment, did much of our cooking from fish and vegetables purchased at the market in the morning. We ate very, very well. Saw some great bones, a dress rehearsal at the opera (we were staying about 60 yards away) that we just walked in on.</p>
<p>We did much the same in Florence six years earlier (when she lived there), though we had lots of friends a little further to the north in Modena, who had to visit. She’ll be doing in research in Rome next, so…</p>
<p>I want to go back to Florence, where I studied in 1970, to find the cafe owner who urged me to buy a cappuccino machine like the one he used, to teach the Americans how to make a decent cup of coffee. “Ah, questi Americani…” (“ah those Americans,” he said, "They can put a man on the moon but they can’t make a decent cup of coffee…E come l’aqua / It’s like water! " </p>
<p>I want to tell him he was right, I should have bought his machine then. </p>
<p>So my advice: if anyone gives you a good start-up idea, LISTEN!</p>
<p>We did take the train from rome to Venice. Just be aware they have strict guidelines in rome, and especially Florence as to where cars can be driven and parked. Tickets are issued via automatic camera. We didn’t want the hassle so took the train. It was a beautiful track across Italy. Very interesting. Florence, aw yes the leather is so nice!! From Florence we took a bus to sienna. Bus is high top seats like a tour bus. Sienna was magnificent. Loved it all.</p>