"Vacation Re-Wind" Day - 16

Our Arrival in Venice

Here are a few pictures/video of Venice from the lagoon.

Notice the leaning tower, many towers in Venice lean.

The Island of Murano

"Home of the Venetian Glass"

We went to watch some real Murano glass being created.

I was crazy to think that I could afford hand blown glass. All we were able to afford were wine stoppers!

Murano and Burano are only two of thirty-two inhabited Islands in the Lagoon.

The Island of Burano

"Home of Venetian Lace"

What a beautiful Island. The brightly colored houses make great pictures. We were told that the houses were painted like this because when fishermen came home they couldn't tell which house was theirs through the fog, so they painted them so they could pick them out.

If I thought the glass was expensive, the hand-made lace is really expensive. I watched a very old woman making it - it's worth the money, it would take her 8hrs/day for 4 months to make a tablecloth, and it would cost about 15K.

"Vacation Re-Wind" Day - 15

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Bokar Fortress
The Bokar Fortress was originally designed to protect the entrance to Dubrovnik's harbor.


We went to the "Old City". It's the old city built within the walls.

We showed up in Croatia with no idea of the exchange rate. We thought it was 15:1, so we were ready to shop -- we found out as we left that it is actually 5:1. My necklace (that Jerry has a good pneumonia tale to tell) was way more than I thought!

Enter the old town through the Pile Gate - in front of you is the Stradun. Here you will find the Onofrio Fountain, built in 1438

This is one of my favorite pictures.... actually this was one of my favorite city's that we visited.

The campaign sign I saw...

Look at the campaign sign I saw on my way to work!Take a closer look!

"Vacation Re-Wind" - Day 14

The Island of Corfu, Greece

Κέρκυρα

In Corfu we rented this crazy little car, and my husband volunteered to drive us in yet another country.

We drove around for a few hours and decided to stop by a local place for lunch. Very authentic Greek food, another good choice. The weather is 90 degrees so we pick one with a deck.

However as we were sitting in this glass (with sliding glass doors) patio - it starts to rain. At first everyone was very happy. It had not rained in Corfu for 4 months. They thanked the "Seattle People" for bringing them rain.

But then... the water started to flood through the bottom of the glass, fairly quickly.

We realize it's time to leave, and the rain is pouring so hard that the owner drives Roger to our car, so that he can come pick us up.
When Roger pulls up - we all step outside at the same time (didn't think that one through). I have to wait for Sharon to get in the front - there is a foot of water racing down the street, and as I wait for Sharon GALLONS of cold water are falling off the roof down the back of my shirt!

I hear Jerry behind me saying "GET IN AND SCOOT OVER", as I try to figure out how to clear the fast moving water, and he tries to push me in the car. Jerry and I were soaked!

We all get in and are a bit slap happy, laughing at this crazy weather. It was all funny until Roger takes off with our little car, and we realize that he is hydroplaning as the water runs down the cliff on our left, to the cliff on our right. We realize that we could be in a little danger.

Roger got us back safely - but it was more than a little exciting.
Thus not many pictures, we are lucky the camera made it.

More things I can't identify in Virginia!?!

Okay - what is this?

It looks like a cow pie, but I think it's some kind of fungus, but it's dry - and smokes when you pick it up!

What makes Ripley happy?

Anyone that knows Ripley, knows how he likes to run.

But this was a cooler day, and acres of new territory. A good day to be a dog....

Before

During (after 30 minutes)

and after

I don't have a little kid to blog about, I have to post about my dog...

"Vacation Re-Wind" Day - 13

Katakolon, Κατάκολον, Greece

Olympia, Ολυμπία

Where the games were played, starting in 776 BC



Entrance into the "Field"
Jerry, Sharon and Roger in front of the Field. Where many of the sports were played. This is also where the "Olympic Flame" comes from every four years.

Mercouri's Vineyard

A local Vineyard, where we had another nice outdoor snack with wine, cheeses, and olives.

Sharon and Angie's Dream Lab Job

Working in a lab in a Vineyard, testing wine!

"Vacation Re-Wind" Day - 12

Nafplion, Greece

Ναύπλιο, Ελλάδα

Nafplion was Greece's first capital, located on the Argolic Gulf.

Roger was the only one of us willing to walk up the 857 steps to the Venetian fortress of Palamidi - built in 1714

We had a great authentic Greek lunch outside.

(Maybe Our best food of the trip!)

Tendering:

Hey Look there's our boat! What do you mean we aren't going up to the dock?