Lions and Tigers and ... Oh My!

I always book my hotel on booking.com a very good website for deals and also for balanced reviews and ratings by guests. This trip up to Milano has been a bit difficult because it is the end of Fashion Week and hotel prices are a bit steep. I finally choose a reasonably price hotel near La Scala - two blocks away, how close can I get without being on stage??? - called the Hotel Star.



A very pleasant lady checked me in, was very helpful with details and the hotel itself is clean, well-equipped and the room even has slippers and a robe. The only thing is the decor - not that it is objectionable just that I'm not sure I really want to wake up in the middle of the night to a crouching tiger lioness or the shadows cast by the rather tentacle like lighting fixture.

Oh well its only for one night.

PS: As David pointed out - and it was more than obvious except to me, who was still no doubt dazzled by the 6'2" transvestite who had shared his lunch table on the train with him - the creature on the wall isn't a tiger at all. Duh and I actually passed zoology!

02 marzo - Beato Peter di Zúñiga

Ah.... OK!

We've checked into a hotel for a few days while the furniture and all our "stuff" is being moved to the new apartment. The Mercure is your standard chain hotel - not much (as in NO) character or charm but the bed is comfortable and its near to everything. As always we requested and got a non-smoking room, then where greeted by this little desk accessory????

I'm at a total loss to figure that one out. I'll be more than happy to send a La Dolce Vita (that's the Fellini film with Anita Ekberg looking chesty and Marcello Mastroianni looking pop-eyed at Anita looking chesty) fridge magnet to anyone would can come up with a good explanation. Notice that's "good" not logical! And no this is not an attempt to get rid of stuff, I actually bought it today in a tourist trap local store.

27 agosto - San Giuseppe Calasantius

La Serenisima - I

Laurent and I have always considered Venice one of our favorite cities - we first went there when he was posted in Jordan back in 1997. Our next trip was in 2000 for one of the most unique vacations we"ve ever had: a three day cruise of the islands of the Lagoon on the Eolo, a restored Venetian fishing boat. There were only four of us on the cruise and aside from the great food, wine and sights we were fortunate that we had the company of two fantastic people - Claire and Harold Yarmark. They were a couple in their mid-seventies whose love of life and people made them perfect travel companions. Claire told us about the day they were married: she was 17 and they were as poor as church mice. She turned to Harold as they left the Synagogue and said: Harold, no matter how much money you make I'll always be able to keep us poor. They were staying at the Danielli at USD950.00 a day - Claire was still trying to keep that promise! It was a wonderful, memorable stay in La Serenisima.

This was our third visit and we will go back again but we found the city has changed. It seems more and more like a museum or theme park and less and less like a place where people lead daily lives. And it has become prohibitively expensive. The albergo we stayed at previously, a charming 3 star hotel near the Academia, is now asking E200 ($300.00 CAD)a night for a small standard double with shower and Continental breakfast. We found something at E140 ($210.00CAD)at the Locanda Vecchio Poste (Old Post Office) near the antique fish market in the Rialto area. The room was more than adequate and after an initially unfriendly welcome the staff proved pleasant.

The hotel was past a Campo (Square) over a small bridge (isn't everything in Venice) and down this narrow, dark alley way. A turn at the lantern...

... down another alley way and Eccola! There you are!

The hotel from the canal side - we were just above the wooden bridge that leads to the hotel restaurant. Overlooking the canal and fish market.

The major drawback was the fish market that is very active and starts setting up at 0300 - boats coming in with the catch of the day, metal stalls being erected and the general hubbub of conversation - right under your window! And unfortunately every room in the hotel faces the market. Very picturesque but not conducive to a full nights sleep.

Though I recognized most of the shellfish - scampi, shrimp etc - many of the fish are indigenous and we never see them in North America.

Good friend Parsi tells me my original caption on this one was wrong... wronger... wrongest. Here's his full comment: Will!!!! C'mon!!! I'm gonna tell you italian teacher and she's gonna spank you! It says "lunghezze minime"!!! Minimum length! It's a sign that lists the minimum length of a fish to be sold according to the EU law. You can see on the right where it says CENT (centimetres). NOW! Turn off your pc for 4 hours and go learn the Passato prossimo and the passato remoto. And some clever spanish guy has written at the bottom "EL MIO 37", "MINE, 37".... I now have a fishbone to pick with the guy who told me that it was an old sign showing fish prices in scudi! Dumb tourists will believe anything! And I have to admit my first caption was a bit more romantic.

06 maggio - San Dominico Salvo