We Interrupt Venice to Experience Slovenia 01/07/20 Day 14

Slovenia interrupts our tour through Italy simply because of the challenges we would face flying home from this tiny Slovik country if we waited until the very end of our trip. 

We trekked from Venice into Slovenia by way of a driver. This is the same company that drove us from Meteora into Athens in Greece several days ago. This driver was from Slovakia. He was a great conversationalist. It was interesting to hear the public opinion from various people in different countries.

Once within the borders of Slovenia, James remarked that the countryside was vastly different than the countryside of Greece where we saw miles of defunct factories and overgrown fields.

Instantly our driver remarked: "Yah, the Greeks are very lazy, this is why. They import everything."

Me, playing devil's advocate: "Our Greek driver seemed to think their relationship with the EU forces them to import everything which strains their local industries."

Driver: "They import oranges from Spain when they grow plenty Citrus they refuse to use. It is crazy, I'm telling you."

James and I laughed because he is not lying. In Greece we saw what looked like orange trees bearing fruit growing all over the city. On our bike tour James pointed the Citrus trees out. The tour guide promptly said, "Those are not edible citrus, they are tangerines. Only can make jellies from them, otherwise they are garbage. They grow everywhere."

Caption: Greek citrus trees.

Our driver also taught us about cars. His country is 5 million people and they produce 1 million cars per year. Their factories generate Volkswagens, Citroen, Kia, and Jaguar (he explained, now that England is part of Brexit, the EU moved the Jaguar plant to Slovakia from the UK). James asked about electric cars. Our driver said, "That's more of a California thing. It will not work in Europe. Electricity is too expensive. Also works in Norway and Sweden because their electricity is not expensive. They have many wonderful turbine and wave energy." He also pointed out that solar power is not for many countries that have snow and clouds for several months of the year. He pointed out instead the log farm they use for energy production in homes (as in planting fast growing trees and leveling them five years later and starting again all in the name of firewood). Lesson here: Get to it California,  save the world one electric car at a time, but don't expect the world to follow suit. 

Formerly part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia by itself has a population of just 2 million. Tourists venture here mostly in the summertime for a variety of recreational purposes such as camping, hiking, lake sports, etc. Those of us that come in the winter are avoiding the crowds for one of Slovenia's most highly trafficked attractions: The ice caves. They have 14,0000 caves, 28 are open to the public. We explored the Postojnska Jama Caves. 

This cave is 3 million years old, the stalagmites are 500,000 years old. The rate of growth is 1 millimeter ever 10 years, 1 centimeter every 100 years. 

From the ice cave, it is popular to go to Pradjama Castle built into the caves. This castle was used as a home for families seeking safety from their government. The original owners were stealing from caravans on their way to Vienna, Austria and giving the treasures to the local people, think Robin Hood. The castle is half human effort and half natural caves. There are several secret tunnels that went into the caves and out into towns on the other side. So when armies came looking for the owner, they thought they could wait him out or poison his stream. They were wrong. He simply went into the caves and procured cherries and other foods from town without being seen. He also collected water from the drippings of the cave that fed into barrels that dripped into other areas for use. The armies end up killing him off from catapulting rocks at the upstairs bathroom and letting it fall away with him in a vulnerable position.  This happened by way of bribing a maid. 

The rest of the journey was to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, which will be the brunt of our 15th day.

Although Slovenia is one of the Mediterranean countries, it feels completely different, like an Eastern European Block country. The foods they eat are more familiar to Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia than to it's Mediterranean bordering countries: Italy and Croatia. It is a refreshing feel and a nice change of pace after such a long journey. 

 
Travel Tip: If you check into the Venice hotel late at night and then tell them you are leaving for one night to Slovenia the next morning, expect the morning shift to know you are skipping out on them and they will not be shy when expressing their chagrin about it in their most friendly national pride way.

We look forward to exploring Ljubljana more completely on Day 15 before returning to Venice.

Leaning Toward Pisa 01/06/20 Day 13

Rent a car, see the sites! That's what Day 13 was all about.

When we were planning our trip several months ago Nolan is the one who had the most requests. He wanted to see Pompeii because of a project he built in 3rd grade. He also requested that we see The Leaning Tower of Pisa before leaving Italy.

Pisa is a bit out of the way from Florence, however, Italy has the Autostrada, so no reason not take the scenic tour.

Our main issue on this day was time. We had to check out of the hotel and leave the luggage at the front desk. Our train to Venice was scheduled for 4pm. So, driving out of the way to Pisa meant only getting 1 hour to see the tower, get some food on the way out and then drive back and drop off the car. So, unfortunately, we really only have pictures of The Leaning Tower of Pisa, this is not to say that this feature is the only reason to visit Pisa, it was just a matter of timing that prevented us from fully experiencing Pisa.

We found Pisa to be the location to go to find the happiest tourists in the Mediterranean. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is such an amusement that you can't help but smile.

From 1989 to 2001, the famous bell tower of Pisa was closed to the public. Since its reopening, thanks very much to engineers who have made great efforts to stabilize the structure, tourists can now enjoy walking up the spiraling steps to marvel at the rewarding view of the city below. 

Driving Italy is much easier than driving England, simply because it is the same side of the road as the US. However, the round abouts are still very confusing. Fortunately, we only went around in circles on one occassion before getting back on track.

Caption: A witch came in a car parade waving as scooters and classic cars honked and announced her arrival. It was some kind of holiday yesterday but we do not understand what the holiday was about. We were told it was a Christian holiday, so maybe they were shooing the Pagan witch out and celebrating the beginning of Christianity? Unsure. 

Caption: Burgers in Pisa!!! Nice break from Italian food. 

Renting a car is also a great way to test out another brand of car you wouldn't otherwise try in the US. We found the Range Rover to be fun and comfortable. Little small for our family of five though.

Back in Florence we had hardly any time to be sentimental about leaving, but the fact that our train to Venice was the very last train ride this trip made us both sad to leave and happy to be pointed toward home in the next few days. 

Caption: All our luggage fit in one go. Success!

Venice has two main train stops. The first is mainland and second is the canals. We are staying on the canals which meant we had to carry our luggage up and down stairs and over bridges. No cars on the canals and no reason to take a water taxi since we are so close to the train station from our hotel.

It was clear from the vacant streets and alleyways along the canals that most tourists stay just outside this tiny area. 

We ate our Venetian dinner and went to bed as timing remains the center of our concern as we leave for our one night trip to Slovenia in the morning. We will have to enjoy Venice when we return.

North v. South 01/05/20 Day 12

Not only were yesterday's questions about Firenze answered during our three-hour walking tour, our guide also gave us a perspective of Naples we desperately needed.

1. Why does Florence feel so completely different than the other Italian cities we have been to already?

According to our tour guide, the South of Italy never fully unified in 1861 when Italy became a country. Before this time even their dialects were so different that Northerners could not always understand Southerners. Angry, were the Southerners, about the unification, that many fled to the United States through Ellis Island. 

Today, our guide says, the South is so corrupt that even when the government sends them money to clean up their cities (like Naples), the money simply disappears. Our guide, born and raised in Florence, has a surprisingly harsh opinion of the South. She says they are founded on crime families and they will never be one with the goals of Italy. She went further to say that when New York Italians visit Florence and go on her tour they try to speak Italian to her, "because they maybe learned from their grandmothers, you see, but it is not Italian that they are speaking. It is a very harsh language that I cannot understand, so I say, please, only speak in English. So sorry, but true."

2. What makes Florence a great place for artists and designers of high end fashion?

Upon arriving in Florence it is hard to recall that Florence and Tuscany bore some of the greatest artists and scientists of all time: Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Botticelli...for example. Mostly because those names, at first glance, are overshadowed by relatively newer names: Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vouitton, Prada, Balenciaga, and on and on. It is a fashion mecca no less competitive than the Renaissance era. Florence has a capitalist feel...inspirational, inventive, competitive.

Travel Tip: You cannot just waltz into a high fashion store in Florence. A doorman will assess the number of people in the store before letting another group in. Be prepared to be told to wait outside. Expect that they may take your bags before letting you walk around, as with the very first Gucci store (say your name...Maddy; listen for them to repeat it...Grazie, Mary...because you will need to recall the name they gave you to retrieve your bag before leaving).

3. Is this shopping district essential to Florence?

The short answer is yes. From the shops on the Ponte Vecchio, to the high fashion brands along the streets, Florence welcomes and celebrates artists of all calibers and if you bring enough monies then Florence has what you are looking for.

Fischer in the Supreme store: "Can I have this red sweatshirt? Please?"

James, looking at the tag: "For 380 Euro, I don't think so."

Fischer, negotiating: "This t-shirt?"

James, looking at the tag: "I am not spending 180 Euro on a t-shirt."

Fischer and Nolan settle on stickers instead.

Surprisingly, in all of Italy so far, there are not many street musicians even though they proudly display three of Stradivarius's violins and cellos in the same museum as where Michelangelo's David can be seen.

Almost more impressive about the statue of David by Michaelangelo is the unfinished works leading up to David. The way Michaelangelo seemed to be setting these figures free of their marble is truly staggering. 

Strictly an Observation: Immigrants Seem to Irritate Mediterraneans

All throughout our travels, the natives freely discuss their position on the effects of immigration in their countries.

Caption: Real Estate adverts for whom? Possible ex-pats? 

For instance, in Greece, James commented on their population being 20 million. The taxi driver promptly said, "We are eleven million, no more. Those others that call themselves Greek but live somewhere else are not Greek to us, they are wherever they immigrated to."

Also in Greece, I asked where the refugees from Syria moved to within Greece and what type of work they do now. The taxi driver said, "No, they are not invited here. They are stealing from us. They are not welcome. When they got into those rafts and set sail with so many of them they would wait to see a coast guard and then slash their rafts so that they would have to be rescued. We are part of EU. Many countries are supposed to take refugees, but did they help us? No. So of course we let them in and nobody helps."

Caption: Subtle, not so subtle, graffiti.  

In Florence, our tour guide told the group that there are so many immigrants there illegally pretending to have permission to sell on the streets but they are not welcome. She warned, "They put their pictures on the floor and narrow the walkways then when tourists accidentally step on them, they say they must now buy them. And the mimes, with the white faces, who take pictures are same time picking pockets. What can we do? I took the police with me and pointed each one out and they got arrested, then next day back on the street. Nothing can be done about the immigrants."

Caption: Quotes from Dante's Inferno are posted on the walls in one section of Florence. 

On every occasion, in each country there is a sense of national pride that supersedes the global handshake that is the socialism they lean on. They seem okay with the part of socialism where idea/invention is shared like community property (although they are behind in technology. For instance, in Greece the commercials advertise i7 processor...James and I both have i8 and the Intel 10th Gen is being advertised in America). They definitely find value in American music and tv/film. Wherever you go in either country there is American music playing. The TVs have several channels with American films dubbed with their language as in the case of Italy, or captioned, as in the case of Greece. And most definitely, all eyes are on American news. But then again, their problems are not with American immigrants. 

Caption: Subtle, not so subtle, graffiti.  

The reason this aversion to immigrants stands out to us so much is because:

1. Greece is the birthplace of democracy.

2. Rome is founded on ancient Greek settlers. Italy has great pride in the architectural influences of Greece, which tour guides never mention, but that we know now that we started at the beginning of time in Athens. 

3. Florence prides itself on being the mother of Renaissance who bore so many great inventors, scientists, painters, sculptors, designers, etc. that the world benefits from.

But we fully understand this irritation the Greeks have about the immigrants to their country. They are struggling to feed and employ their own citizens. They just buckle under the weight of immigrants.  

And, Italy is still relatively new as a country and unification has not come easy, so holding onto their identities is understandably very important. 

As we continue our travels, it is interesting to compare:

1. ancient societies and architecture to the evolution of these country's modern day societies and architecture, and

2. attitudes between now and three years ago when we took the kids to Europe

Teens are very different types of travellers than little kids. They are regarded as adults who are meant to understand the histories being told on the tours. There is no tiptoeing around them. The guides even talk more to them at times than the adults as in explaining the significance of the statue titled The Rape of the Sabine Women. Our teens are engaged to the full potential of their ages and this has created an environment for conversations that were not shared with us the first time we traveled with them making this trip more meaningful than the first trip.