In October Mike and I took my parents to our condo in Orlando. We flew to Knoxville, rented a van, picked up my folks and hit the road. We made it just about half way the first night then on to Orlando. It was a calm week there seeing the sights. Dad mostly chilled in the apartment. Mom got out to see things. Below are photos of our trip where we ate our way through Orlando.
Sorry no posts on this for some time. Coming back to real life brought real life responsibilities – work, jewelry show, house cleaning, pet care, snow shoveling, etc. Actually two of those collided thanks to Mike and Paula for manning the booth at a craft fair while I worked at the J-O-B. Oh then Mike went off to Europe for his civilian job. The truck got a flat and AAA couldn’t help. We got our first snow. And I worked….
Any way Happy November 17th aka Homemade Bread Day.
So we left off with my arrival to Naples and checking into what was known on the bases as the Capo Inn (Navy Inn on the main base, which is the smaller base but has the work offices). This was yet again supposed to be Mike’s swan song last two week active duty in the Navy. (the last one was to be that and when we got back found out there’s a chance there might be more). Any way I was in a holding pattern on plans until he got his schedule then I’d build around any time he had off. If he had any.
As you saw from the last post, I was packed and ready to go. Our flight was on Luftansa and left O’Hare at 9:40 pm we connected through Munich to Naples. Yep we were flying economy but were able to get seats together. Actually when we got the plane we had the two seat section of the row so it was just us mooshed together in those pre-school seats, with little leaning back room. I can say our part of the flight was uneventful, it departed and arrived on time. We were fed, Mike slept, I watched movies. I can’t sleep on a plane. Mike felt queasy once and hot, but once the air kicked on and he fell asleep he was fine.
However, there were events on the plane. We were just out over the Atlantic when a call went out for a doctor or medical personnel on board. Oxygen tanks were carried forward by an attendant. Mike went to the rest room and said a group was attending a person passed out on the galley floor. Never found out what the emergency was but I’m sure they and their family weren’t having a good flight. Just south of Greenland over the Atlantic, yes about where the Titanic sank we hit turbulence. So flight attendants had to sit and buckle in, we were seat bound and it bounced. Kind reminded me of driving too fast on an East Tennessee dirt road. Not to bad, not violent just very bumpy.
Honestly, I did doze for about twenty minutes but mostly passed the time watching movies. Saw Captain America 2 again (still good) Rise of Planet of the Apes (better than expected), Malnificent (Eh, just okay) and an episode of Ray Donovan (too cheap to buy pay channels but good show). By then my legs were yelling for mercy, swelling and restless. I’d had it about the time we were over London. Thank goodness it wasn’t far to Munich.
Ahh, to stand and walk felt good. Customs/immigration into the EU was easy. I was entering for leisure as military spousal accompaniment. Got the first stamp in this passport. FINALLY!! I’ve used for about five countries and NO stamps but the EU came through and put one on it! So take that Caribbean and Canada!
In Munich airport we had time. I was screwed up on my regular med, so took the next dose which was morning and had to have some water. We each got a bottle of ‘still’ water and paid $4 for each bottle. I felt officially welcomed to Europe. We lounged and enjoyed stretching our legs and walking. Then time to board the flight to Naples or Napoli as called when boarding. There we filed through the boarding pass check, down three flights of steps (Where Mike helped a lady with a stroller by carrying the front) and out to the bus that would take us to our flight. You know it had to suck to pay all that money to fly first class and then be crammed on a bus with us plebeians. On that flight I got the most enviable of seats – middle of middle! I was next to Mike so all was good. I dozed a bit and with the help of Mike got some pictures out the window of the Alps as we went across.
Finally we arrived in Naples. The airport is known for losing luggage 33% of the time. We had three pieces checked (my one his two uniforms are space takers). As we waited and looked at ads for gaudy watches called Capri Watch, we debated which one wouldn’t make it. We voted it would be mine since all I had was undies in my carry-on. However, fate smiled upon us and we beat the odds getting all three bags. (Sorry lady who lost 2 of her three, it had to go somewhere).
The base is next to the airport. Cabs can’t go on base so we walked. It’s about a mile and half walk. Yep glad I packed light as I knew I’d have to haul it. So after ID check (I got a salute?!?) we made our way to the Capo Inn on base. There we had a small apartment reserved. Heck we found out we had two when we got there. Our place had a to die for view of Mt. Vesuvius. (see the one at the top of this post it was a dreary day but the rain missed us.) Literally I mean if that thing blew we were goners. Still it was beautiful in the dreary afternoon.
Next on the agenda was laying in of breakfast food and snacks. It was off to the base Exchange that had a grocery section. After putting those away in the room it was now the evening of the 24th. I had started out the evening of the 22nd. Travel is great but it is also exhausting. We were tired, me more so as I didn’t get to snore on the long flight like some people did. So it was off to the food court for mediocre pizza by Italian standards but excellent pizza by ours. We took it to the base pub and Mike had a beer while I had a diet soda.
Back to the room for a shower and Mike was off to bed. He had duty starting early in the morning and would get an idea of his schedule. I stayed up to unwind a bit from all the action. Emailed home and enjoyed the night view out the window. The nice thing about staying on an American base was we needed no adapters it is wired for both local and mainland outlets. SWEET!
Oh I really got use out of my bluetooth keyboard in my tablet case. So nice to carry something so light and be able to write, draft posts like this, and enjoy the base free Wi-Fi. After a hot cup of mild tea I was off to bed and crashed out hard.
So ended my first day in Naples – just settling in and getting the lay of the land.
Wow I see I’ve not posted in some time. I really have no excuse except for the last 11 days or so when I’ve been on vacation.
You see, Mike had a NATO exercise he participated in as part of his active duty for the Reserves. I tagged along to have a free place to crash. Where did we go? Yep Itlay. Naples Italy. Now before when I’d tell people I was going to Italy on vacation they’d smile and say “Oh! Where are you going there?” Then when I’d say “Naples” Their face would fall into an ‘I’m so sorry.’ It was almost like that look you’d give someone being excited that they were going to American on vacation then you asked them where they’d be and they said Detroit. I heard it called ‘the armpit of the world’ and ‘where the Mafia went when run out of Sicily’ and so on. Let me say that first, yes it’s got issues but the garbage strike that gave it the armpit status has been over for years. Second yes it has crime but name a city with three million people that doesn’t. And yes ancient streets with lots of cars makes for harrowing rides… but all the people I interacted with were wonderful to me from water buffalo farmers, to shop keepers, to Limoncello brewers, to archaeologists, to tour guides, bus drivers, and train patrons. All were welcoming, smiled and encouraged attempting their language and were helpful. The city has been there since Etruscan times and I LOVE the history. So if this is the armpit I guess I’m happy in armpits.
Now before I could get to Italy I had to pack. I’ll be honest I try hard to pack light. I mean I did London for two weeks with two carry-ons. So I figured 10 days in Italy one small carry-on size roller and my back tote. Yep I did it. I used ebags packing cubes for the first time. I can now sing the praises of them from dawn to dusk. Easy packing easy unpacking to dressers when I got there easy packing to go home. Wonderful things. I got the set there in the link I provided. As you can see I got them in University of Tennessee Orange GO VOLS! I had one in my back tote for my meds and emergency undies (in case of unplanned overnight layover). One Mike used for his carry-on extra uniform. The large one held all my shirts and pants and the other small ones were, bathroom things, undies, socks & jewelry. It all fit in nicely into my luggage as you can see. When I got there I pulled them out, put them in drawers of the end table (no dresser), unzipped them and I was unpacked. I kept my clean clothes in them after laundry and when it came to pack I zipped them up, dropped them in the suitcase and was packed.
The other neat thing that helped with packing was the large Grid-It I got for all my electronic support stuff. You know the charger for camera batteries, phone charger, tablet charger, camera, cables, and so on. As you can see it’s great to get it all organized and stored in one flat place that laid nicely over the packing cubes. I left my cords on it unless I used them and when done tucked them back on the board so packing was again a breeze. I liked it so much I’m getting the smallest one for my briefcase to carry the few chargers I take with me.
Also knowing that RIFD chip reading is big in Europe as all their credit cards have gone to it. (Two of mine recently renewed have it) I got a nice purse/tote that was RIFD safe and Mike gave me neck wallet for the notorious pickpockets. The purse was great as the middle section would carry my journal or my tablet when using here in the US. It is slash proof, has a cross body strap, and is very light – all the things I need in a travel purse. I have to admit when in Italy it never carried anything a purse theif would want – cough drops, protein bar, tissues, flashlight (wait till I tell you about the underground), notepad, and occasionally my backup camera. My money was mostly in my neck wallet under my shirt and in my bra. A bit of walking money in my pocket along with my phone (for photo purposes only). Neck wallet had one credit card and my military ID required for base entrance. So I traveled about light and thankful it was a cool fall not a sweltering Summer they had back this past July when I first considered going.
So I was all packed, I had my passport ready, and it was time to head off to Italy. We flew Lufthansa. Great service. I have to say nice Airbus plane. Only thing is crowded. I long to one day make a trans-Atlantic flight in a chair that doesn’t feel like I’m visiting a pre-school. But let’s face it I’m an economy class kinda gal, I just can’t see spending $6,000+ US for round trip ticket. The nice thing is we only had one connection in Munich, Germany. So we left at 5pm and were off on my Italian vacation his active duty…
Oh I get nothing from endorsing these products. I don’t won stock in them or any thing. I just found them VERY useful and thought I’d share. Besides it’s a good way to start my Italy series of posts – packing to go!
It’s that time of year in Wisconsin where the tomatoes and peppers flow! Here it’s not like in the South where tomatoes come in from May to September. They all roll in in a big juicy red & yellow flood. Though we didn’t plant any yellow ones this year. Peppers of all types are tumbling into the kitchen in plastic grocery bags full!
Mike is freezing them daily. I’m eating them so much I’ve got a mouth ulcer from the acid. I LOVE them but I do wish we’d gotten some yellow ones since they have less acid. We’ve made salsa, we’ve made gazpacho. Mike’s hung peppers and chilies out to dry by the yards. Still they roll in faster than two people can eat them.
We always have chili on Sundays in the Winter. We feel good as we cuddle with bowl to watch NFL while the snow flies outside. It’s extra good to know the goodness came from Mike’s garden that summer before. He’s the chili master of the house from start to bowl. I just have to persuade him one habanero per pot is enough sprinkle on dried habanero if he wants it hotter. I love spicy I don’t like painful! So our daily work with the garden harvest pays off all year long!
We have an apple tree in our yard. It bears every year but the apples have never been good. The squirrels love them except one year. That year the squirrels threw the apples at us. I’m not making that up of exaggerating. They’d sit on the awning over the back door and drop the tiny rock hard apples on us as we left. I think it was their way of protesting the bad harvest.
This year the apples look good from a distance. Then when you get up close where they are apples and not just red peaking through the leaves they are spotty and deformed, not good at all. However the squirrels are enjoying them but dropping the rotting parts all over the yard, garden, garage, driveway, walk, and vehicles. I’m thinking of taking up throwing the rotten parts at the squirrel in protest. Turnabout is fair play right?
Flowers didn’t get much attention this year in the drought. We don’t water grass and flowers. We do water food bearing plants. Some flowers get the over spray being just over the fence or path from the vegetable garden. The morning glories benefited from that.
A few more shots to enjoy the bounty of Mike’s gardens.
Mary Louise Eklund 