finally....amsterdam & starbucks refresh

Last day of my holiday :(

Today is Saturday, which means tomorrow I travel home.
I am excited for my own bed, but sad to see Europe go away... I do love it here.

Today Suzi and I got up to head to Monaco and Monte Carlo. The sun gods graced us with lovely weather for the first part of the day, which was great, as the scenarie in that place was amazing!!

We hiked around and as we came across the Casino... we saw a lot of money and flash that made us feel poor and frumpy. Sadly the casino was not open yet so we could not bet even one euro...nor did we have time for the castle.

We had a great lunch, I bought some french wine I hope to be able to get ho,e (cross your fingers) and then we raced back to meet up with Josh who flew in this afternoon.

I am having PC issues so I will update all of Nice when I am home... till then ciao! (I know its not french, but I loved Italy enough to stick with it)

kk

Dinner in Nice and then a better experience at the wine bqr

I will blog on this night when I am back...but trust me, it is a good story...and the food porn is um, interesting?

Thoughts on a Friday in Nice

It is crazy shopping day in the USA... and being away from it for the first time ever, I realize how much I love the energy of that day. I am very glad to be traveling ... but sad to miss it, along with family and friends on the Turkey holiday.

Our first day in Nice ended with news of Suzis Aunt Charlotte passing away peacefully surrounded by her family. She had been ill for a few months so it was not unexpected, but still hard news to hear. We spent time last night and today trying to figure out if she should go home...and after a long night, her and Josh (with full support of her mom and aunts) decided to go forward with plans of their vacation to Switzerland. With all the stories of her wonderful aunts and their adventures, I agree her aunt would would want them to travel and live life to the fullest... as it sounds like she did this herself.

We are staying in Nice today. Laying low... plus it is raining. Ick. Josh is flying in tomorrow, and then they depart Sunday to Zurich and me to Minneapolis.

Love to all of my family... and especially my aunts, as aunts are such special gifts to all of us. Send Suzi, Josh and their family some good energy.

We are going to go find yummy French pasteries, something that always helps lift ones spirits!
kk
PS I am having trouble uploading photos from Nice, but will keep trying as we had a FABULOUS meal last night!

Nice, France

Toasting Thanksgiving in Nice with Champagne (Suzi had blanc Wine).
We stopped a a local pub to grab a pre dinner drink, as restaurants do not open till 8 here.
We then wandered through Old Town, Nice to find a recommended place (from the hotel). It was called Cote Marais... YUMMY!

I had duck for Tday dinner and Suzi had Prawns, with the heads & legs still on them (see below YIKES!).
BUT first we started out with an eggplant souffle (see above), it was sitting on top of a cold marinara sauce. and OMG... good.

We dont have a photo of it but we had a delicious desert of fondue chocolate something, basically a slice of heaven :)

This place was small and 2 lovely french men seemed to own it and do all of the work. We read later that it is all organic also... perfecto. Travelers Note: Find this plqce to eat dinner.

No more Italy, on to France

Last purchase in Italy. The goal of the trip was black boots, I completed the mission this morning (bad photo, but wait till you see in person)

On train to Nice. First class of course :)

We bought these little goodies in La Spezia as a treat. I was sick the night of my birthday (tummy issues) so Suzi turned these into my birthday cake. They were VERY yummy... yes people on the train thought we were crazy Americans.

Happy Birthday to me and my girls

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40:

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you do deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

- 60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS) Andy Rooney is a really smart guy! :)

Finishing up the birthdqy in Cinque Terre

This was our treat after a long hike. A chocolate tourte and Cinque Terre Yummy wine. When I walked up to pay for it {because you pay for nothing till well after you are done} we found out that Chris Smith from Long Island , whom we met on the hike and met up with him and his family later at the last town, paid for our treats. REALLY? How amazing and kind. We didnt know till after he and his family left, so we could not thank him. So I thank him here as I try and type this from Nice, France... where nothing is as it should be on the keyboard.

More from France later!kk

the view on our hike

cinque terre a perfect place to turn 40

This is Cinque Terre, Italy. It is numerous fishing communities that we hiked through.

We started in Riomaggiore then to Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. About 6-7 kilometers. BUT it was all up and down rocky terrain. WOW what a workout. It was so beautiful and warm too...amazing.

In the middle of one of the deserted towns (note for travelers: they all were as it was the off seson so most places closed) we saw people standing in the town square, when they noticed the Minnesota sweatshirt I was wearing they announced they were from Eden Prairie, MN...really? There were all of 50 people mulling around, including locals...so what are the chances? Small big world.

We also met a couple from Michigan on the trail. They were staying in a town near by and in Italy for 3 months!! Cool! They were probably in their early to late 60s and he had a year off work. We kept reminding ourselves that they had walked the hard parts and said it wasnt that bad as we started to wonder if we could make it. They were great motivation... as the trails to the north were very difficult!

At the last town we hiked to, we met a the Smith family from Huntingtion, NY (Long Island). They were such a fabulous family. They managed to hike to the next town while we took the train and sat at the wine bar and waited for them.

I cant imagine any of our photos will show off the amazing scenery, but I hope you each make it there some day. The hike is HARD. But you can take a train between cities to visit.

We are off to find boots, dessert and a good bday dinner.

Thanks to all of you who have sent me birthday messages. I have had great day!

kk

pisa and la spezia

Grabbed train from florence to pisa this morning with one goal....get the cheesy photo everyone does. Well you can see we accomplished this :) here we are holding up the leaningtower.

We only stopped in pisa to see the tower, it was great as they let us check our luggae with an attendent as we explored the city. It actualy is a cute little town. We had fun just walking around.After capturing the photos we grabbed a light lunch (no really it was) at a cafe. It was sunny out and we sat for a long while and people watched. Oh i also bought new knock off sunglasses as my others from NYC broke...this hapens whe one sits on her glasses 2 different times!We then grabbed the 4:00 train to La Spezia. We practiced our italian numbers at each stop as we had ten before our stop. It was fun to see al the different towns and the amazing mountan scape and castles up in the hills. We had an adventure getting to our hotel and a hike (with luggage) up a steep set of stairs to get to our hotel. We checked into the lovely My Hotel, a modern hotel in Italy. It has a towel warmer in the bathroom...cool! We went back down the steep steps to find dinner...and found a quaint little place and ordered penne and salad, and because it was so cheap....swordfish too! I decided when in a fishing town...we should try it. It was good, see photo, but the presentation freaked me out a bit. The light part was good...the dark part...ick icky fishy yuck.

Then headed home, things are closed up here at 9pm...I mean everything. So back up the steep steps...photo to come when it is light out. Tomorrow is doomsday... I turn 40... luckily I have, and have had, amazing female role models on how to live large and that age is just a number...one I have been practicing in Italian :)So I guess all I have left to say is, BRING IT.

kk

Plaza di Compo in Siena

I wish the colors would have turned out better, but the grey skies and a cell phone camcorder, this was the best I could do. This is the square where they race horses every year from July to August. they put mattress on corners where it is dangerous, as to not hurt or kill jockey or horse.

WANTED: Good home for Italian handbags!

This first handbag caught my eye at a Florence open air market.
It was just sitting there all soft and beautiful and clearly it needed to see MSP.
So I bargained with its evil shelter master and he finally agreed to let me take her.

These 2 poor lost handbags were in San Gimignano. They were at a shop near the door and when the larger one cried out to Suzi "take me home"... as she said " but of course", its little sibling cried out "take me too", and like Bradjolina say "what is one more child in a loving home"...so both will be heading home to Palo Alto with Suzi.

While Suzi was working on bringing her 2 new babies home, I was grabbed my this lovely red handbag...which also converts to a backpack style. I could not let it stay in San Gimignano...and she is now the newest Kehr girl.

San Gimignano and Siena day trip

Let me first start out with a personal message to the Vikings...way to go boys, as I was glad to see you didnt follow in the Gophers footsteps with a loss...geez Gophers!

Ok...onward. Today we got up and it was pouring rain and about 33 degrees in Florence! Yikes, I packed for a low of 50...not 33. Anyways, being cold in Italy, is better than being cold in Minneapolis (I just saw the temp..yikes!).

We found our way to the tour bus to take a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano after our lovely man at the hotel called us a cab to go about a 1\2 mile. It was pouring. We boarded the double decker bus and got to ride on top :) Even with rain, which it was subsiding, it was a GORGEOUS ride. Imagine every movie or photo you have seen of Tuscany country... there is was. Stunning!

We arrived first in San Gimignano. What an incredibly great place. I want to go back and just hang out for a day or two. Simply beautiful and elegant in a way. (this is where we found the poor handbags needing homes). We had a VERY short time here, and traveler alert...it is a climb to go into and through town. Lots of major hilly streets, so be warned...but still go :)

Next stop Siena!
Below is the Plaza di Compo. I will post a video of it in my next blog tonight.
It is hard to describe, so I will let the video do the talking.

We had about 1.5 hours to wander around before the tour, so we stopped to eat a lovely local place thatfed us HOMEMADE pasta with Ragu sauce. Hmm, another amazing meal of pasta!

We then went on a walking tour of the city (freezing my butt off, but still fun). We had a great guide, who made jokes occationally we did notget, but was full of great information. One odd thing was when the Mayor and 5 collegues of the Mayorof Siena walked by, he said how we wished he could murder them all with one bullet...a hushed sweet death I think was what he also said. Um, okay?? What do you say to that??

We went to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. WOW! It was unbelieveable inside.
The pictures with my phone will not do it justice... but lets face it my dear followers, no photos will... you need to walk through these places to feel the beauty and history. (have you booked your trips yet?)

Ok. True confession time:
After a week of pasta and heavy sauces...we wanted something "plain", cant find that here except for one place...yes my faithful followers....we went to McDonalds for dinner.
I did go with the Italian specialty burger as they did not have grilled chicken...and the fries were just as good as home. Only thing different is, if you want ketchup, you need to pay 20cents. Um, really? Randy Mauzy would lose money on this deal.

We are at the hotel and our lovely Italian friend at the hotel just whipped Suzi and I up some tea and hot cocoa to warm us up. He is quite sweet to us, and reminds me so much of a man I know in Territory 8 for BBY, it makes me feel like I have known him much longer.

I need to go pack for Pisa and La Spezia tomorrow. We will be stopping in Pisa only long enough to take the photo EVERYONE takes...us holding up the Leaning Tower :)
Ciao! kk

sunday in florence

We walked up 414 steps to the top of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. Whew! We also did about 75 more at the Galleria Degli Uffizi, where I was blessed to see Botticelli's "Birth of Venus"....so very cool! I got misty! Below is photo (illegal) of it, and I didnt do a good job.

the empty plate and crumbs is whatwas leftover after Suzi and I splita chocolate crousiant...OMG Good! Wow! I cant explain how good itwas, butCoco if you can recreate this...I will gain 100lbs!

I am quickly blogging on Monday morning before heading toSiena, I have had a lot of PC issues, so I will try and catch up tonightwhen we are back. I know I owe Marj an explanation on the dessert from the other day....and can I justsay you want one, itwas GREAT!

I bought a beautiful leather purse yesterday and am still on the hunt for the perfect pair of black boots.

Must run to breakfast.

Ciao!KK

food porn....gnocci and spaghetti! yum!

Hello.... The pc i am using in florence at the hotel has wiped out my postings 2 nights in a row now. Grrr. It goes off

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suzi on the carousel in florence

Day 2 Florence...small world

I think I can make this work now...writing a few days late, but need to do this while memories are still fresh and I am still in Florence. (leave tomorrow).

So our first full day in Florence had us having a tour of David at the Academia (will fill in name later). We had time to fill before the tourso we wandered down to the Cathedral Santa Nuevo.
As we approached the magnificent building (see below), I looked up at the group on the steps and realized it was my new friends The St Roberts Choir out of Michigan that I had spent time with at the Popes Audience, and whos concert I wnet to while in Rome. Really?

We all hugged and greeted each other and they all met Suzi. We found out they were singing at St Lorenzos Church for 6pm mass that night (and right by our hotel), so Suzi and I agreed to attend mass to see them. And of course, Jerry got a great group shot of all of us. I am in a lot of their photos and they have my email to send them to me. I love these people, as they said I became their adopted daughter. They were so fun and one of the couples reminded me of Charlie and Carol OHara...so what is notto love?

After the Cathedral...which was not so fabulous inside as outside, we went to see DAVID!
No photos were allowed on the tour, but I managed a few...I know I know...but come on... I have followers to entertain!

So here he is! All 15' of him. He was awesome. Honestly with all the times I have studied him in class... he was better in person. Why did I not study here in college??

I dont know what else to say... he is amazing!

After David we wandered with no real purpose except to maybe hit a few spots on the otherside of the Arno River across the P Bridge (will fill in later), which is the oldest bridge in Florence. All the rest were destroyed by Hitler...except for this one which is now covered in jewelry shops. From high end to low end.

Before heading there we stopped at this carousel, that Suzi insisted we ride. It was fun and we laughed as the music was not at all traditional, it was soft italian classical\love songs.

We stopped at the first recommended place across the Arno. The Wine Shop, we had a yummy glass of wine (red for me, white for Suzi) and then we decided a before lunch dessert was needed...and below is it. What can I say... it was HEAVEN. It is a Light crispy crust, thinly sliced apples with apricot marmalade. We split it, but I must be honest...I could take a fork and eat this whole thing :) The bartender(and owner I think) told us he has a slice every night before bed...yah, I can see why!

After wine and dessert (hold on folkes there is a commercial with George Clonney on)...

Ok I am back. He doesnt know I am in Italy, and I feel bad, i should call him and tryto get together for some vino. (um, yes I mean GC, let me live in this fantasy while I am still in my 30s). Ok next we went to have pizza...of course we did! See other blog from this day. It was recommended by Suzis friends and delicious!

We then headed home to quick freshen up and head to the 6pm mass at St Lorenzos. The choir was fabulous and it was a traditional Catholic mass...only all in Italian. So I got the traditional parts, including receiving communion, but the rest I have no idea :)

We said hello and goodbye to the choir, as they headed to Venice next and us to La Spezia. We promised to email each other photos of our adventures.

After mass we headed to a restarant recommended by our hotel. We both had pollo and salads and vino. The sauce the chicken was in was white wine and I am guessing a whole lot of olive oil goodness. Honestly, the olive oil here is unlike anything in the USA I have had. Suzi agrees.

I think that is it. I will need to get my map out to fill in a few of the names, but it is funny how only 2 days later the details are fading. SO MUCH to see and do, and I am glad I will have this blog to look back upon and relive my amazing trip.
Ciao! kk