American in Norway

Trip of a lifetime.. still smiling with a happy heart.. can't wait til next year's SPRING FLING..

Pretty Burano is one of the many islands of Venice . Famous for silk and brightly colored fisherman's homes it's one of the most beautiful sights in Venice .   I never dreamed I would get so excited about laundry...  but in Italy, it just. works.  Ohhhh .. the SPRITZ - MANY.. were consumed...   The Spritz (German: "splash" / "sparkling", also called Spritz Veneziano or just Veneziano) is a wine -based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy . The drink is prepared with prosecco wine, a dash of some bitter liqueur such as Aperol , Campari , Cynar , or, especially in Venice , with Select . The glass is then topped off with sparkling mineral water. It is usually served over ice in a lowball glass (or sometimes a martini glass or wine glass) and garnished a slice of orange, or sometimes an olive, depending on the liqueur   Burano is known for its small, brightly painted houses, popular w...

Sigh... I am still having a hard time getting back in to "REAL LIFE"   Venice was perfect in every way...  Spending much needed time with one of my BEST FRIENDS from the US...   I think I am still glowing..   feeling blessed..     Please bare with the picture filled posts to come...  Looked all over for these "Rice Balls" deep fried & filled with cheese.  - doesn't matter that I was walking over 10 km a day.. with all of the food and drink.. I may have broke even.     I have no idea who this lady is... but the abslolute JOY on her face was priceless...       I am a big PEOPLE watcher... I love seeing the joy.. and guessing their story.. I also see the people who are not so happy.. (It is never too late to change your story..)   I love seeing the happy couples taking the trip of a lifetime.. but also see the couples who sit across from each other ...

First stop.. The Liassidi Palace. I had two days in Venice before my friend arrived & I needed to find somewhere to stay.. My first trip to Venice I was 19 & backpacking with my sister & our friends.  I'm sure we stayed at a hostel and were eating from the grocery stores.  I don't remember much from that trip other than a dissapointing trip to a glass factory.  I have one picture from that trip.. For the record, I'll kill my kids if I send them on a trip like this and they come home with one picture! My second trip to Venice was while working on a cruiseship. We, of course stayed on the ship, and when we finally got off work & had time to go a shore, my husband thought Venice was old,dirty & way over priced.  So much for romance in Venice.  THIS time.. I would do Venice the way I wanted.. I would stop counting every dollar & treat myself.  Damn it! I deserve this.. I decided to go for the suite life. I bo...