Florence We got up at 7:30 so we could eat breakfast and arrive at the entrance to the Duomo dome by 8:30. Our guidebook said that’s when it opened, and it was the best time to get there to avoid long lines. When we got there, the door was closed, and there was a sign […]
Italy 2004 – Day 4
Florence We both woke up around 4:00am, and it took us a while to get back to sleep, but we did. At 5:30, my alarm went off and we pulled ourselves from bed, put on our clothes, grabbed the cameras and tripod, and set out for some dawn photography. We took pre-dawn pictures of the […]
Italy 2004 – Day 3
Venice and Florence We managed to sleep until 8:15, when church bells woke us up. We figured we had better get up and take advantage of the breakfast included in our room price. We had cereal, a croissant and some yogurt. But the best thing was the cappuccino that helped us go out and face […]
Italy 2004 – Day 2
In flight and Venice We woke up around 8:30am as the other passengers around us began to stir. Soon, the flight attendants were in the aisle with coffee (“Yes, please!”) and, later, a light breakfast featuring a croissant. We both had seconds on coffee and shared a third croissant. By then, we were starting our […]
Italy 2004 – Preparation and Day 1
Preparation We had wanted to vacation together in Italy for years. We had each been there, but not together. Chris had gone on business, and she hadn’t really had any time to see sights. Dale had been there for five weeks in December 1984 and January 1985. After almost twenty years, he was sure the […]
Wisconsin Independence Day Rodeo 2004
On July 4, 2004, we went to the 46th Annual Manawa Rodeo with Chris’s parents. The day was overcast and threatening rain. The cloud cover kept the temperatures cool, and there was only one bout of rain that pretty much coincided with the intermission of the rodeo. Thanks to About.com for much of the rodeo information on […]
Yosemite – Half Dome Hike
Early in the summer of 2002, my then-boss, Bob, invited me to join a group planning to hike from the Yosemite Valley floor to the top of Half Dome. Bob had made the hike several times before. He had two friends, Dick and Rob, who would be joining him. I thought it sounded like fun […]
Motorcycle Trip – June 24, 2002
Monday – Gualala to San Jose Chris and I awoke about 7:30, showered, then headed upstairs to be sociable. Sus and Harmony aren’t really coffee drinkers, but when Chris asked for coffee, they were willing to provide it. Unfortunately, they were out of regular coffee, so Chris made decaf. I made a cup of tea, choosing […]
Motorcycle Trip – June 23, 2002
Sunday – Eureka to Gualala We got up around 7:30, got packed and dressed, then had breakfast at the complimentary buffet provided by the hotel. As we ate, we had to listen to a very vocal pre-teen girl playing in the heated pool next to the breakfast patio. Why – we wondered – do children have […]
Motorcycle Trip – June 22, 2002
Saturday – Chico to Eureka We had breakfast at Brunch House, a restaurant in the same plaza as Gen Kai. I had a hearty breakfast of eggs, sausage, and potatoes, while Chris had an egg and an apple-walnut pancake that was so big it had its own plate. She shared the pancake with me. It was […]