Ciao from Venezia!

Greetings everyone, or should I say Tim, Don, Diana and Megan, who seem to be the ones posting comments!

Anyway, we are on our second full day in Venice. Left the car at the vineyard and took the train up Saturday afternoon. Got here Saturday evening and have been having a great time ever since. Weather has been fantastic -- just finished a half liter of house wine on the grand canal and had to take my jacket off as it was a touch too warm. It's siesta time right now, so it's mainly tourists out right now (3:30 pm). But the views are wonderful. Took a boat out to the Isla Murano this morning and toured the glass blowing factories. Sort of a flashback to middle school field trips to Fenton Glass Works just south of the Ohio River in West Virginia, only with a little bit different accent...

Veronica was in heaven last night (not that she'll ever get there for real!) as we went on a long walk through the back alleys of Venice. Hit a pizzeria and had a few drinks and a pizza con prosciutto crudo. That's the uncooked smoked ham - somehow she loves it. Anyway, after a mild buzz and some food, we went to Piazza San Marco - San Marcos Square. Sat outside and had a bottle of wine, olives, and bread while listening to a 6-piece orchesrtra play. Okay, it may be touristy, but that's what most people visualize about Venice... It was wonderful!

We found a great hotel again via the tourist info point in the train station. Ironically enough, at breakfast this morning, I hear classic rock on the speaker system. Then I hear a commercial for 93.1 - Jack FM. That's the same station we get in L.A. They had it via internet... Okay, that's a little too close to home...

So tonight will be our last night in Venice, then tomorrow we're taking the train to Roma. We'll do two or three nights there as Veronica has never been, and it's been 20-something years for me. Then on Saturday we head back to the vineyards. We'll run the place as Ugo and Barbara will both be on tours, and then head out on the 28th. Looking forward to the quiet Tuscan countryside again after Venice, and Rome for sure. But I am looking forward to seeing the Forum again. Veronica enjoyed "Rome" the series on HBO. She needs to see the real thing...

And when we head out on the 28th, we're still planing on heading south to Puglia. It's a bit of a haul, but they're actually making international quality wine there now, so it may have changed. Puglia was the Alabama or West Virginia of Italy when I was there -- it will be interesting to see what it's like these days... So we're enjoying out time away, but looking forward to returning to the farm as well. We've got a few tasks to do when we get back to the vineyards, but it will be nice to have 50 acres to ourselves. Veronica can do things her way, and I can just get out in the sun and tend to the olives and grapes. And there's plenty of wine available, so I'll be happy. I could do this farming thing--well at least for a few weeks a year!!!

I'll try to update from Rome, but if not, you'll hear from me again from Sinalunga in Tuscano.

Ciao!

Oops, and when we get back to Tuscany, we'll hopefully get the photos downloaded to CD as the camera is almost full and we'll post the pictures as well!