Preparing for trip to Italy. . .

I'm suppose to be preparing for my trip to Italy...so what do I do?
I start a blog.
I came across Feltbug's blog... http://feltbug.blogspot.com/ and I couldn't stop reading. (NOTE, if anyone can tell me how to turn a site address into a direct link....I'll be your friend forever!! Til then, just scroll to bottom of page, link is located there) She has some terrific links and wonderful images. So I decided that it would be a great distraction to start my own.
I love distractions!
Ten years ago I married a writer. He had always kept a wine-diary. Somewhere along the line, his wine-diary turned into a travel-diary. I didn't want to be left in the dust. So I started to take notes during my travels...notes, receipts, drawings, business cards....feathers? I knew that I'd never keep it up if I had to produce 'poetry' on a daily basis. I found that if I took a roll of tape and started taping stuff to pages...then I'd have a chance at sticking to some sort of posting rhythm.
Let's see how this blog comes along. . . . .

ITALY
Going back for the 8th time? I'll sit down later and figure out the # of times.
I am totally captivated by Venezia! Everytime I head to Italy I have to spend some time on her waters.
This is my fourth trip with Gail...my sister. We're leaving on November 3rd...returning on the 20th.
We have such a wonderful time together....sometimes in total silence. We wander from calle to calle....find a quiet campo and take a break...listen to the glorious bells. PHOTOGRAPH.....EAT!!
Oh, the glories of Italian food.
EliZabetta just called...and the 6pm bells were going crazy...we had to stop talking. We're arranging all the details of our visit...meeting with Davide re: an exhibition...side trip to Tuscany. It was so great catching up. One of my favorite parts of going to Venice is seeing all of our Venetian friends...friends that we have made on our numerous trips.
EliZabetta is special!! She's creative and full of energy and curiousity....and patience. I baby-speak Italian...3-4 words of italian interspersed with english...english spoken with an italian accent. Right, that's gonna help!

I have started my 'lists':
*things to wear
*things to read
*camera equipment/telephone equipment/adapters
((wow, just spotted a red-headed woodpecker))
*books...italian dictionary/Michelin map book/ Chow! Venice/ Calli, Campielli e Canali
*business cards/portfolio
I'm bored...blah blah blah
I'll continue my listing in private.
The one list that I'm having fun with?
*New shops/restaurants
*Biennale sites to visit...some Palazzo's that are open to the public - Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel - Palazzo Pisani Santa Marina -Palazzo Palumbo Fossati
I also want to check out the gardens at Hotel San Sebastiano and Ca'Zenobio
There is never an end to exploring Venice...one thing always leads to another!!

This year Gail & I are staying at Palazzo Tiepolo (link below). We are renting 'Apartment Tiepolo', a studio apartment on the Grand Canal. It's located next to the San Toma vaporetto stop in San Polo. We usually stay at Hotel Wildner on Rive degli Schiavona. It's a great little pensione where Henry James had stayed. The crowds around San Marco have gotten so thick, that we thought a different location would be great! Many of the shops and restaurants that we love are in the San Polo and Dorsoduro sestiere...so this is more convenient......not as far to carry the bags! Whew....with the exchange rate as bad as it is, it's a good thing that I've gotten so many treasures in the past....I won't be carrying as many bags this year!
This year we are also taking a few days to explore Tuscany....we're going to stay at Montorio (link below)...it's located just outside Montepulciano...the southern area of Tuscany. We're renting an apartment, Antonio da Sangalla. Fingers-crossed that Elisabetta will be able to join us.
It's been almost 10 years since I was there with Paul (husband)....Gail has never been....so we are excited. I'm so used to being the navigator...not the driver....this should be a kick..the autostrada. I'll let you know!