Top 5 for April

5. Sam, Jack, Caleb and my activities. While our cousins were here we enjoyed many games, including cards (chicago rummy, nerts, and presidents), army guys in one way or another, and various games with thes rubber bouncy balls that did not break anything somehow in our frontroom. We played ball tag: essentially peg the other person. These all lead to laughs in the end---whether it was a ricochet to the face, or a hard ball to the stomach. Lots of fun!!!

4. Duomo. Our climb of the dome is what comes to mind when thinking of the Duomo. It had amazing views, and a beautiful lantern (big structure on the top of the dome). The climb between the domes, made me think of the book that I read "Brunelleschi's Dome". It explains the ingenious design, building, and mysteries of the dome. Truly amazing, this dome is the largest dome in the world made without using modern day steel. It has resisted cracks even through major earthquakes, and the cracks that show now are only in the plaster, or only caused by what it was not made for: traffic. The constant vibration has now been banned for mthe streets around the Duomo, and made a pedestrian area.

3. Venice. Our trip to this sinking city, at least for me was very exhilarating. We walked around, and saw a ton of churches, squares and glass shops. We visited the island of Murano, where I got to help blow a little candy from glass. We also visited the Rialto bridge where I bought a goal keeper jersey, and we saw the markets. It was very interesting to see this peculiar city, with it's canals, various styles of boats, palazzos, and people. We saw the Peggy Guggenheim museum, along with various other sites unique to Venice.

2. Cinque Terre. Our trip to this string of 5 cities was filled with fun, sun, and hiking. We stayed in Riomaggiore, and hiked, maybe a train or two... to all of the other cities. Riomaggiore with it's restaurants, and main stretch of shops. We also visited Manarola with it's recycled crucifixion scenes on the hill, and a pretty marina area. After Manarola was Corniglia, a city with many beautiful views, and terraces. Then there was Vernazza, with a tower and fort, along with a slightly larger marina area that many shops and restaurants. The last city was Monterosso, with a sandy beach, however not as rich in culture, and there was not a ton to it. Nearby was another city not in the five, called Fegina, which was similar to Monterosso. Overall, relaxing with beautiful views hikes, lizards, and cacti.

1. Vander Griend family visit. For the first two thirds of the month our cousins, along with our aunt and uncle, were here. We went with them to Cinque Terre, and Venice, and spent time with them in Florence. Much of the month of April was centered around their visit, which was a lot of fun and full of games, and a lot of good weather.

lol: facebook?

Because we think laughing is... important.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=386443877426

Its just... funny. Especially if you love, hate or otherwise avoid facebook.

Venice, Italy

One measly post won't do justice to our 4 day visit to Venice.

We didn't see everything, but still feel like we gained a good feel for this famous sinking-year-by-year city. There are tiny little canals, tons of bridges, and boats are their transport for food, boxes, bags of cement, fish, UPS, you name it. Gondolas are the fanciful famous rides, but all the boats in and around Venice are their standard form of moving goods and transporting people and food.

There is a road in, and trains. But the boats in all the little canals are busy doing their daily work, rebuilding the city and supplementing tourism.

There is one larger canal that snakes through Venice, and 3 main bridges that pass over it. There are numerous islands just off the coast of Venice---we actually took a boat ride and visited Murano (where we bought souvenir bracelets and Anthony blew glass!).

I have little blurbs describing numerous photos in our VENICE ALBUM. I keep falling in love with taking photos... and what better place to practice than an eye-candy laden city such as Venice?

It was so worth going. We drove two cars from Cinque Terre, driving over mountain passes, paying tolls, testing our ability to drive European style. Keith, Cindy, Sam, Jack, myself, Anthony and Caleb soaked up: San Marco, boat rides on the canal and to Murano, visits to the Rialto Bridge and market, walks about town. Nice dinners out, new gelato flavors, the inside of various churches, countless souvenir shops and stations... picnic lunches, traghetto rides and more.

My goal was to take my measly restaurant-supplied map and get to know the city. Here are a few of my favorite memories from Venice:

• an early morning 2 hour walk around Venice. The city was still quiet, everyone else still in bed. It was beautiful weather, I walked through a huge church and had it all to myself, started to get to know the city streets and snapped some of my favorite-photos-of-Venice.
• our day for 'boat rides.' One day we bought '12 hour boat passes' and managed to grab an early boat near the train station through Venice's main canal. It was amazing to catch the sites from water-side. Later that day we boated to Murano---an island off the coast of Venice. There we saw countless glass shops, windows and glass art. We managed to see one 'glass blowing demonstration' in a smallish shop. The gentleman even let Anthony blow a little blue glass candy for 'keeps.'
• finding my favorites---for some reason this brings me joy. I don't know if it is me imagining a daily routine in a place, where I slide through for my favorite pastry, point out the 'best gelato shop in town' and shop at 'that really nice lady's food market.' Mostly it makes me feel good to go to new cities and discover the best of 'this' and determine my favorite restaurant. I feel like I have found gems in the rough when I find a street laden with boutique stores or a special little coffee shop off the beaten path. My favorite 'finds/experiences/discoveries' in Venice:

• church: my favorite church I found on my early morning walk.
• walking around Rialto food market: farmers markets to me are 'my happy place.' Walking around piles of fresh fruit and vegetables... soothes my soul.
• traghetto: instead of spending hoards of cash on a gondola ride (which can be a nice option too;), you can grab a 'stripped down' gondola used as a canal-bus to bring folks from one side of the canal to the other. I loved discovering this budget-savvy tip.
• the bakery (especially the almond pastries): just around the corner from Piazza San Margherita is this splendid little bakery---I visited daily for my morning coffee and pastry.
• the street near the Guggenheim museum: the street near the Guggenheim was full of beautiful and artistic shops. The boys found recycled art in the windows, aliens aka modern art, upper end jewelry boutiques, scarf shops and coffee shops... a street I would choose to walk again and again.
• the Guggenheim museum: unexpected hurray! I didn't realize Peggy Guggenheim lived part of her life in Venice. Her home-turned-museum had so many breathtaking pieces of art including her daughter Pageen. Pollock, Picasso, Dali and MORE. Art: full.
• San Marco: the cathedral was stunning. a must-visit.
• GROM: seriously impressive, food-mod artisan gelato. This is epic in the minds of touring adolescents... and trailing adults.
• Murano: one of our favorite family memories, Anthony blew glass, we saw scads of glass creatures, objects and art AND I bought my birthday-present-from-James, a handmade glass-beaded bracelet. I love it!
• lunch with the boys. The last day we were there, the boys and I snagged lunch together. We sampled a plate of local seafood (okay, not ALL to our liking... okay, mostly NOT to our liking;). Shared a half liter of vino (yeah---they do serve the kids here; when we return you can ask the boys their opinions on various Chiantis;)) and enjoyed perhaps the most memorable lasagna in Italy to date... and it was eggplant lasagna to boot!