Where am I now?

As you can see, this blog hasn't gotten any love in many years... But you can now find me on my site jessicatravels.com.

24 February 2008

Trip Photos (So Far)


our doorbell in milan
Originally uploaded by andiamotutti
That's a picture of our doorbell here in Milan, and you can see the pictures I've taken so far (well, some of them, anyway) - including pictures of our apartment - in this new set on Flickr. I'll keep adding to that set as I go, too.

Chris and I went to the Pinacoteca Brera today, an art museum in central Milan. It was fairly interesting, even despite there being no descriptions written in English anywhere (we could have rented an audio guide, but we opted not to - it was fine, because we could read most of what we wanted on the Italian descriptions, but I felt badly for other visitors who don't speak the language).

We also found a pasticceria close to our apartment which is too expensive to visit often, but the proprietors were so incredibly nice that we'll have to make a point to go back anyway. The woman running the place came out to invite us inside when we were looking at the window display, and Chris made friends with her instantly by kissing her cheeks when she asked if he was a native Italian (he was speaking Italian and said we were from America, but she thought we must have been Italian originally because he was speaking Italian). It was incredibly sweet, and it's just that kind of thing that makes me smile here.

23 February 2008

All Moved In

We moved into the apartment today, and it's really cute. Just like in the photos. I took a few pictures inside, and will take some of the exterior as well. I'll let you know when they're posted. We're both tired after a few busy and intense days, but we're going to head out shortly for something to eat. We did go grocery shopping earlier, but we don't really have the energy to cook anything tonight... Tomorrow, yes. And then for the next five and a half weeks, often. Tonight, we'll let someone else do the cooking.

22 February 2008

Eagles Breakfast Soundtrack, and Other Milano Notes

Just a couple more notes from our trip thus far:

* The hotel we're in (until tomorrow, when we can finally get into the apartment - YAY!) is one of those that offers breakfast included with your stay. It's the standard breakfast bar you find in these places - cereals, juices, some tired-looking pastries and a few trays of sliced meat and cheese. This breakfast room, however, offers something different - an Eagles Greatest Hits soundtrack on a constant loop. The last three days we've gone in there, it's been the same thing. We can't figure out if it's someone's new favorite CD, if they are forced to play it or if the CD is stuck in the machine. Either way, it's kind of funny. I might actually miss the Eagles breakfast soundtrack in a few days. Or not.

* I've had a couple espresso drinks in the last two days, with no ill effects! As some of you know, coffee tends to do a number on my gastro-intestinal system, so that the after-meal coffee or breakfast coffee that's so typical in Italy has always been something I can't partake in. Which is kind of a bummer. The last two days, though, I've been feeling reckless (or stupid, I dunno), and have had two coffees - espresso normale both times, which is just a straight shot of espresso in a tiny little cup - with no sudden need to spend hours in the loo. That, my friends, makes me feel like Italy and I are becoming even better friends, and that makes me quite happy. (And I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.)

* We just came back from wandering through the Navigli neighborhood in the southwestern part of Milan, and on the tram ride back we passed a pet store - it's only about 4 blocks from the hotel, so I may try to buzz over there this afternoon while Chris is out at meetings. I just want to get a look at the kinds of things that are in pet stores here as opposed to at home - I know one expat blogger whose cats hate Italian cat treats, so her mother sends American cat treats to her "grand-cats" every so often. I know both my mom and my mother-in-law would probably be happy to do that, but it'd be nice if our cats actually liked what was on offer here, too. I'm going to bring home some cat treats so they can try them, but might not buy anything just yet.

* I got a note from the guy in Venice who is helping out with my accommodations for my travels, and he sent me a link to the place he's putting me up in Venice. It's about 100 meters from Piazza San Marco. I'm already giddy about it.

* Oh, and yesterday afternoon I met up with my friend Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy and she told me what the Italian word for flatiron is (piastra, for anyone who's wondering) and sent me to the beauty supply store where she bought hers. So I'm now the proud owner of a Jaguar flatiron which works a treat. I've still got my American one and will try to resurrect it when I get home, but for now, it's getting its own kind of vacation.

21 February 2008

What's the Italian word for flatiron?

Well, I just had my first mishap which will necessitate delving into a new-to-me part of Italian life. I think I just fried my flatiron.

And before you scoff, yes - I was using a power adapter/converter. The same one I've used for every other electrical device I've used in Italy (including my computer, right now). But apparently that wasn't enough for the flatiron, which, immediately upon being plugged in, started spewing smoke. I unplugged it again immediately (so it couldn't have been plugged in for more than 3-4 seconds), but now it won't even turn on when I try plugging it into different converter/adapter sets I have here. Hmm... I'll need to figure out (a) what the Italian word for flatiron is, and (b) where on earth they sell them around here.

Anyway, a brief recap of the trip so far:
* I discovered I'm not necessarily a huge fan of the nonstop service from Portland to Europe. I love it in principle, but in practice it depends almost entirely on who you are seated beside whether it's a brilliant thing or an exercise in torture. Okay, so my experience wasn't so bad as to call it torture, but the folks seated near me did make it nigh to impossible to get a wink of sleep - so I didn't sleep at all on the flight. I got here on Tuesday a completely foggy wreck.
* I had planned to get from the airport to the hotel the super-cheap way, i.e. on public transportation. Again, fantastic in principle, but the result is that I ended up lugging my two heavy bags up and down too many flights of stairs on the Milan Metro and today, two days later, my arms and shoulder are still very sore. I've also found bruises where I didn't know I had places. It'll heal, but it just helps to confirm what I've now come to believe, that...
* I'm not a good traveler. That's not to say that I don't do it relatively well, or accomplish what I need/want to, or whatever. It's just to say that while I love being in other places immensely, I've gotten to the point that I no longer like the traveling part - I don't like the getting there. I'm okay with long car rides, but somehow a full day (or more) of being in planes and/or airports really sucks the life out of me. Ah, well. I'm here now, and no more airports in sight for at least 5.5 weeks!

I did end up getting help with my bags from a completely unlikely source (see the Italy Logue for that story), and in the end that episode made my day completely. I still grin when I think about it. And I just heard from a friend that the chocolate festival in Turin is this weekend, which would be pretty fun - we'll see if that works out.

So, I'm tired and my body's aching, but I'm here - and now I need to find an Italian flatiron.

16 February 2008

Counting Down

Today has been set aside for chores and errands, so there's laundry already in the washing machine and a list of other stuff to accomplish before day's end. Then tomorrow should be all about packing. I slept horribly last night, kept waking up during the night and woke up this morning with a headache. Not a good way to start any day, but today it almost seems like a test... Can she do it? Can she get it all done while combating a headache? The universe may be strong, but I've got Excedrin. I'll show it.

I sent off a bunch of emails yesterday to the tourist offices in the cities I'm hoping to visit in Italy, asking for assistance with my research trip. I'm not used to asking for stuff and using the words "travel writer" much yet, but I guess with an email the worst they can do is say no. What I'd really love is a guide in each city to help me find the best of each place without having to search too much on my own. Not that I don't like that kind of searching, of course - I love the aimless wandering part, snapping photos and stumbling upon glorious things... But this time I feel like I've got a to-do list that doesn't allow for much wandering time. A guide would be most helpful. We'll see.

So, back to my chores, and back to my headache. In a couple days, all I'll need to think about is how to occupy myself for nine hours on the flight from Portland to Frankfurt.

11 February 2008

T Minus Six Days

The memorial on Saturday went really well; I was pleased with it, and I'm also glad it's done. Now I can start stressing out - I mean thinking about - the Italy trip. I plotted out a rough itinerary today of how I'll spend the six weeks, and it now feels like it's a pathetically short trip. I'm wanting to hit several of the "big" cities in Italy for research purposes, but it means being away from our home base in Milan roughly half the time. Which still means about three weeks in Milan, but it'll end up being a few days here and a few days there rather than three solid weeks. I'm preparing for this to be the opposite of a relaxing trip.

Still, I'm not complaining - it's six friggin' weeks in Italy, forgodsakes. And, if things go according to plan [editor's note - when do things ever go according to plan?!?] I'll be able to re-visit some cities I've seen and loved before and also add a few new ones to the mix. I'm excited about both prospects.

It's funny, because I have a fondness for Rome just based on writing and reading about it, but my actual trip there in 2001 wasn't particularly wonderful. It was toward the end of the whole vacation, I was tired, and after the relative calm of Florence, Rome was a bit of a shock to the system. I'm looking forward to seeing it again with different eyes. Other places I'm hoping to see include Florence and Siena (both of which I know and love), and Lucca and Assisi (neither of which I've ever been to). I've got a day set aside to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, too, so I'm crossing my fingers that works out. Really, I go back and forth between being giddy with anticipation and feeling bogged down by all there is to do on this trip. But in the end, I'll do what I can, and I won't knock myself out over it. Worst case scenario is that I need another trip. Poor me.

I'm planning to keep up with this blog during the trip, however sporadically, as well as the Italy Logue (link in the upper right hand corner, too) - the latter will get more attention, because this is a work trip and that's what they're sending me over there to do, but I imagine I'll pop in here now and again as well.

So, the countdown begins - six days until departure. Egads.

07 February 2008

Memorial Gathering & Apartment Hunting

So, this Saturday is the 2nd memorial gathering for my dad, and there are people coming in from out of town starting tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing them, and I think the whole thing will end up being kind of cathartic - hearing the stories, seeing all the pictures, etc. I spent several hours over the weekend scanning photos of Dad into my computer for a slideshow, and while I thought it would be really depressing to go through all those pictures, they mostly made me smile. It's nice to be able to look at those pictures and remember the good things instead of just thinking about the end of his life. I'm sure I'll still have moments where I cry "for no reason," but it's nice to be able to look at those old pictures and just smile already.

In other news, Chris is still on the hunt for an apartment for us to call home during our time in Milan. One great prospect found on the Milan craigslist (yes, there is one) fell through, which was pretty disappointing, but I think we still have several great options. They cost quite a bit more than the one we were hoping to get, but it's just money, right? Even the more expensive apartments are loads cheaper than a hotel, so that's a plus. It's kind of fun to look at the photos of the different apartments and imagine living there, even for a short time. We should be able to secure something in the next few days at least, which will check one more (major) thing off the to-do list. My biggest worry now remains the whole packing thing - I'm not generally known for my ability to pack light, and that's even on two-week trips. I think about our six-week trip and my back already hurts from the heavy bags. Here's hoping I can make great strides towards becoming a light packer in the next 10 days.

01 February 2008

Proud to Be a Democrat

I wasn't watching the Democratic debate last night, because I was at my Italian conversation group, but as Chris & I were watching some of the "highlights" on CNN (what is politics, a sporting event now?) I couldn't help but think, "I'm so proud to be a Democrat right now."

Yes, I'm sick of the debates - I haven't watched a single one of the 7,349 debates in its entirety, and I'm still sick of them. But even catching some of the images of the two final candidates for the Democratic nomination on the screen, you can't help but notice that no matter who's on top of the ticket, the Democrats are making history this year. And I happen to feel very confident that a Democrat is going to end up in the White House, and we'll be making history in an even bigger way if that happens. There's something really moving about looking at a woman and a black man on a stage, both vying for the chance to be President of the United States, and both Democrats. Especially when you look at the Republican party which has, yet again, a slate of white men from which to choose. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see which party is really about change.

Given the fact that I'm pretty optimistic about the Democratic party's chances this year, I also started thinking about something else - that we're actively trying to move away from this country this year. The last time I voted for someone to oust a Bush from the White House, I was studying abroad in the U.K., and had to vote by absentee ballot. So, maybe - who knows? - I'll be voting for the next post-Bush President with an absentee ballot from across an ocean.

In a way, if a Democrat wins the election, it's going to make leaving the U.S. a little harder. Of course, it'll also make it much easier to be an American abroad - there would be no more need to tell people, "I didn't vote for him."

So, yes. I'm feeling very proud to be a Democrat these days.