Visit to Italy Again

I actually wrote this blog from the Marco Polo Aeroporto in Venezia as I departed my beloved Italia. I spent ten days in March drinking Italian wine, eating pasta, and doing the mundane everyday things Italians do. (Unfortunately, I did not make the time to get it posted so you are reading a re-write of the original blog. )On top of that, I spent some time searching for un apartmento or la casa. John and I have long wanted to buy something in Italy where we may possibly retire when his time is up with the military. No real luck this time but I really didn’t expect to find anything in such a short time. I found a few possibilities and will continue to follow up on them. Now is the time to buy with the prices down and the prediction that the Euro will take a dive against the dollar. So that means less USD for the dollar.

One of the highlights of my trip this time was going to wine country near Udine in a little town called Propetto. It was just one vineyard after the other. My good friends Jill Butterfield and Glenda Green invited me to join them as they searched out a new wine they recently tasted at a wine festival in Venice. So we spent the day on a quest for Sciapettino. What fun to go from vineyard to vineyard tasting the wine. We had a special treat when one of the wineries offered to take us down to the taverna (cellar) where the wine was aging in barrels and drink some of the wine right out of the barrel. He used a clear tube that worked like a siphon to draw out the wine and pour into our glasses. It was such a treat to get to do this. Then to cap it off, we ate at the most fabulous little restaurant in Cividale.

I went to Stradella’s every morning for cappuccino and enjoyed sitting in the hustle and bustle of the little town of Aviano. The same family has been serving the town for who knows how many years. Paola, the owner, knows exactly what each person wants as they walk in the door. It really is the center of life in the town. Then, another café in the Piazza called Café Centrale, is celebrating 100 years of service to the community this month. Imagine. They have been open for 100 years in the same location!!!!

I spent a lot of time just driving around and soaking in the area. It was so nice to get up each morning and be greeted by la vista panoramica of the snow-capped mountains. Of course, my camera tagged along. I have yet to sit down and review all my photos to determine the best and worthy of sharing. I just love Italy and was sad to leave.

Global Village

These dresses were in the Egypt booth. They are just scary!!!!!!!!













We also bought candied coated nuts in all varities. Yum. Yum.












This head scratcher was the hit of the night!!!!! A must-have item.

Dubai Global Village

Last week I went with two carloads of women to Dubai to go to Global Village. This is an annual event that begins in November and goes until mid-February. It is a bazaar of sorts, but more like a county fair. Different countries are represented with big buildings full of vendors. It has an amusement park side also with the ferris wheel and a carnival-like atmosphere. Food from every country is represented as well. It was a fun evening filled with exploring the different wares from each country and grazing the food booths tasting the different foods. It is a good way to purchase authentic furnishings, lamps, dishes, clothing, knick-knacks,....you name it......from various parts of the world.

My first stop was in India where I purchased a shawl. I love the people of India. They are so friendly and loving (that is why I have a Sri-Lanken housemaid!)
This is a carnival type ride for children. It's really just chairs sitting on something that turns. Kind of funny looking.


Some of the vendors were quite interesting. Everyone loved the Pashmina Shawls. Wish I was ready to buy carpets. One vendor had a really nice selection of silk carpets from Kashmir and his prices were decent. Just not ready yet. I want to look for a while before I buy.










We went to the Middle Eastern countries of Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, & Turkey.
I found this guy most intriguing. He was selling a delicious fruit juice. I found out that this manner of serving drinks in the streets is quite common in Turkey. The juice sold for 10 dirhams which is about $3.00.There was a canal in the middle with "gondola" boats where you could ride from one location to the next. Reminded me a little of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas!




Turkish lamps



Turkish Pottery Perfume Bottles Lamps


This is a tent made up like the Bedouin tents in the desert. People were eating and reclining in the tent.

The canal after dark.


Posing with African dancers at the Africa booth. This was a fun booth.

We found this darling little boy in the Syria booth. He was sooooo precious. His parents let us take photos of him.

The Thailand booth

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Spices in the Yemen booth. They sold honey and every kind of spice. We enjoyed dealing with the carpet vendor here also.


This was truly a great event and a fun way to explore other countries. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to go to all the countries. I can't wait to go again next year!

Another Graziella day!

The sweet "baby dog" really lives a life of leisure. Her Valentine's Day presents were several new bags of dog food and doggie treats (we had shipped from PetCo) along with a bright pink "snuggie"! We had a few chilly mornings and evenings---and wouldn't you know it---Grazie loved her little pink snuggie. She promptly fell asleep in the lounge chair----just too cute to pass up a photo op.

Today the weather is so beautiful outside---it's actually warming up. John came up with a way to make it "more comfortable" for Graziella to enjoy lounging on the balcony. She loves it. She can recline in the chair with her favorite blanket and still see all that goes on up and down our street.








We recently took Grazie to the park for a walk and had a picnic lunch while we were there. This park is near our house. The weather is so beautiful the parks are busy with people cooking out and children playing. In the summers when the heat is so bad, the parks are deserted in the daytime and fill up after dark when it is cooler. The Arabs are nocturnal people. They shop, eat out, go to the parks, and walk on the corniche at night to avoid the heat. Children stay out late playing. at night also. It is just too hot in the day.

Another posting about divorce!

I could not resist writing about an article I saw in Gulf News today about an Arab man who is seeking divorce right after he got married. He claims that he had not seen his bride's face until after the marriage because she always wore a veil that covered her face. He asked the bride to uncover her face so he could kiss her. Once the veil was removed, the man was astonished to find that his bride had crossed eyes and a bearded face. He claims he was tricked by her family in that they showed him photos of their other daughter who is quite beautiful. Apparently it was an arranged marriage and he did not insist on seeing the bride without her veil until after the marriage had taken place. He is asking for restitution for the money he spent on jewelry, clothing, and other items. He was not without compassion though. He arranged for the woman to see a doctor and have her hormone levels checked.
I think it pays to see someone's physical aspects before you marry them!!!

More Camel Festival

I just had to show more photos from the Al Dhafra Camel Festival. These were posted on the website of TimeOut Abu Dhabi magazine. They are such glorious shots that I needed to share them. I am just sick that I could not be there. What a wonderful experience it would have been. I am so disappointed I was not there to see this fascinating cultural event.

I love these dark haired Majahim camels. I would like to see one up close. I think they look beautiful. Camels are really kind of silly looking animals. John can't stand them. He says they are nasty, smelly, and spit on you. I rode one in Egypt out into the desert several years ago. It was not as beautiful as these Majahim camels. Yes, it was smelly. Yes, they spit. It was fun to ride one though. I would like to do it again.

****Photos courtsey of TimeOut Abu Dhabi******