Jim and Diana Zurer's Italian Journal
We leave for Milan on Thursday, April 18. Check this space on the 20th for the first reports from Italy, Spring 2002.
Previous Journals
For a sampling of the sort of reports you can expect, check out Itinerary: April 18 2002 - May 11 2002
Arrival in Milan
Greetings from Milan.We saw the building that got hit by the airplane yesterday.
Day 1: Milan
The Swissair flight from the States is packed and the seat configuration is extremely tight. On the plus side, we make our connection in Zurich with no problem and the food is not bad.
Day 2 : Milan
I wake up with a start and realize that we are in Italy. It feels good.
Day 3: Milan
We must have been tired out from yesterday....
Day 4: Milan-Busseto
After breakfast, we make a last trip downtown to do some shopping. Unfortunately, we can't visit Peck and the other specialty food stores since they are closed on Monday mornings.
Day 5: Busseto
The weather is slightly overcast and cool as we head out of the hotel for breakfast--it is not included with the room at I Due Foscari. We discover that Tuesday is market day in Busseto and the streets and the squares are filled with stands selling all the usual goods of an Italian street market--food, clothing, dry goods, etc.
Day 6: Busseto
Diana gets up early and takes the dirty laundry to a local shop; we have decided not to try and use the laundromat in Parma this trip. After breakfast at our "no-smoking" bar, we head over to the Teatro Verdi ticket office to see if there are seats available for Carreras.
Day 7: Busseto
Day 8: Busseto
Day 9: Busseto
Day 10: Busseto-Lerici
Day 11: Lerici
The sky is gloomy when we wake up and check the view from our balcony....
Day 12: Lerici
Day 13: Lerici-Castelmuzio
We have our last Doria Park breakfast on this trip. Before we leave the hotel, Luigi takes us up to the roof of the hotel where they are now working on five new suites.
Day 14: Castelmuzio
Today we have an appointment to meet the owner of one of the properties I have used near Pienza, so we are rushing to get there on time. We decide to take advantage of the kitchen in the villa, as well as the access to fresh eggs from Rebecca's and Mark's chickens.
Day 15: Castelmuzio-Massa Marittima
Day 16: Massa Marittima
It rains all night in Massa Marittima....it is still raining when we get up, but by the time we finish breakfast and are ready to go out, the sun is out, but it is very windy and cold.
Day 17: Massa Marittima
[5/12/02: We are back home....we flew back yesterday (Saturday) but I am still a few reports behind.
Day 18: Massa Marittima
The weather is warm and sunny this morning for our expedition to the island of Elba. We drive to Piombino and get our tickets for the 11 am car ferry; the trip to the main town--Portoferraio--takes about an hour.