"Wash Uffizi, drive me to Firenze"

The triumphal arch

The lyrics to Phish's song, "You Enjoy Myself" are what sparked my husband's interest in visiting Florence (Firenze) and the Uffizi.

Sadly, Matt and I are not really "into" art. I know we should have much more of an appreciation for it than we do. But, honestly, we don't. It's never top on our list when we travel. However, we had to go to the Uffizi and then The Accademia to see The David.

The Uffizi was extremely tough to get through with children. They were impatient, cried (we received glaring looks more times than I want to admit) and only eventually started behaving with the promise of gelato (more gelato, mind you). What I love about my husband is that while he may not appreciate art, he has a plethora of knowledge in regards to world history and was able to keep the girls entertained by telling them historical facts and stories regarding the time periods during which some of the art was completed.

View of the Arno River from the Uffizi

Replica of "The David"

Michelangelo's David, however, did not disappoint. I was in awe. I think I could have stared at him all day. However, the girls were not impressed and our visit to the Accademia was fairly short (on the upside, there was no wait to get in).

This is where we hit the gelato jackpot!

Pereche No! is a fabulous little gelateria well worth any wait. The restaurant is part of Slow Food International and, so, had my heart instantly and won me over completely as soon as I took one bite of the delicious ice cream, made fresh, right there, daily. In fact, I think I could have camped out there all day just to try each and every one of their flavors.

Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace)

I don't think we saw enough of Florence. I'd like to go back - but, probably not with the children. It's another Italian city that just isn't very kid-friendly. I purchased a drawing from of a street vendor, however, I would have liked to explore the city further and do a bit of shopping.

Pisa - Check!

Pisa from top of the Leaning Tower

Pisa's one of those places where you go, see the leaning tower, check it off your list, and move on. It's a bit underwhelming. We didn't even eat in town. However, I think it may have been the girls' favorite site of the trip. They are still talking about it weeks later.

If you're a government employee and interested in visiting Florence, Pisa and Verona, we saved big bucks staying at Casa Toscana on Camp Darby. The drive to Pisa is less than 20-minutes. The drive to Verona about 45-minutes and the drive to Florence less than two hours.

Matt's obligatory pose

Natalie's obligatory pose

The "couple" pose

Five-year-old, Olivia, gives it a "shot."

Verona

Arena

Verona, home of Leonardo Da Vinci, was our third stop in Italy. It was a bit chilly. We toured a few popular sites, sampled some wine in an old wine shop, and dined on pizza.

Fast fact: William Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliette," was based in Verona.

Family in the Amphitheater built by the Romans

Obligatory pose with Juliette
Juliette's Balcony
Letters to Juliette

Porta Borsari-1st Century B.C. ruin once part of the roman city gate.

Ginormous tubs of Nutella at a crepe stand.

These highchairs are in many German and Italian restaurants. I would have appreciated them when our children were younger in Alaska and Portugal!

Verona

How to Take the Romance Out of Venice

Q: How do you take the romance out of Venice?

A: Bring your young children.

I love my children. My husband and I have traveled all over Europe with them over the past few years. With a child on my back (i.e., Ergo Baby Carrier), we've climbed Moorish ruins in Portugal, hiked in the German Alps, wandered around Dublin, Lisbon, Sicily, Seville, Gibraltar and so on. Most places are fairly kid-friendly. Venice, however, may have been the least kid-friendly out of all our journeys.

Family Taking a Gondola Ride

There are a few reasons that Venice didn't meet our kid-friendly expectations.

1. It was cold and dreary. Venice is to be traveled on foot during warmer, sunnier days (I take most of the responsibility for choosing this destination during the winter months). Days full of color. Balmy evenings full of ancient history that adds to the romantic ambiance. Our day was mostly gray - dulling our surroundings. When I would learn of something historic, in my mind's eye I would see sickness and harsh living conditions, despite knowing that Venice was once rich, thriving and even more beautiful than it is today. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't place myself there during that time or "feel" it.
2. When in Venice, you want to pick up some Moreno glass and a Carnival mask. Not an easy task with grabby children. Sifting through the shops, trying to find a mask or piece of glass (Jewelry in my case - as I wouldn't dare buy a 500 Euro piece of glass art moving as we do - and with young children running through the house), is not an easy task. There were lots of junkie shops. I didn't want a spray painted mask. I wanted something hand-painted and original. I probably got something in between, as it was getting dark when I finally stumbled on some nice shops, the girls were hungry, tired and very much done.
   
3. Aside from restaurants, a few historic sites, souvenir shops and the obligatory gondola ride, there isn't much to do. I would have loved to wander around with Matt alone and gotten "lost." But, alas, you can't do that with children - especially ones cold and who desire to eat every two hours.
   

Looking for an inexpensive mask - possibly for five-year-olds? This stand had it!

Mask Painter

Lone Evening Produce Market

It's possible I would have enjoyed Venice more had I been able to have a couple glasses of wine during lunch and if it had been warmer. A Meniere's flare-up nipped alcohol drinking right in the bud, however. As far as warmer weather, if I happen to be close to Venice during warmer weather in the future, I may (i.e., I had an extra day to spare and no where else to go - so unlikely) venture back - without young children, mind you.

Sicily

Well, we made it back from Sicily this afternoon. Matt and I have a few less hairs on our heads and the girls have colds. However, we're all in one piece.

Have I mentioned that traffic is bad in Portugal? It took me a few weeks to get up the nerve to drive here. Narrow streets, round abouts, crazy drivers, etc. Scary. I thought I'd seen it all and adapted to it...until we arrived in Sicily. I have never seen worse driving in my life (Matt tells me it is worse in Naples). We had a motorcyclist hit our car at full speed and drive away (no damage - just a loud thud), we had a driver make us back up 100 yards or more in a dark alley because Matt wasn't quick enough to pass him in the two second chance he had, and we had people cut us off at every single chance they had. Words cannot even explain how bad it was. No wonder there were signs all over the Navy Base stating, "Slow Down Sigonella!" With over 265 military personal car accidents this year, the signs are there for good reason. I was relieved Matt didn't ask me to drive the whole trip and, literally, held on tight and closed my eyes many many times.

We decided, early on during our vacation, to skip the girls naps. We toured around in the mornings, had lunch, and moved on to our next destination while they napped in the car. It worked out okay. We did find two or three restaurants near the base that cater to American families and open early for dinner. Still, the girls got much less sleep daily than they normally do and, therefore, came down with colds. Olivia became more and more grumpy as the trip progressed. When she's grumpy, she's unreasonable. Therefore, it came as no surprise when, on 23DEC, she ruined our anniversary dinner. It's always lovely to have to leave a restaurant early while trying to smile and be polite as your two-year-old is having a complete and utter breakdown/tantrum. The trip, overall, was good. Not wonderful and not bad. Just good. I've always been very honest when writing my posts and I'll continue to be honest here by saying this: For me, traveling with small children sucks about 50% of the enjoyment out of the trip. Itineraries changed at the last minute, scrapped or shortened at a moments notice. You cannot eat a meal in peace! Dirty fingers enter my food, touch my clothes and enter my drink. Just when I start to enjoy my warm meal, someone needs a diaper change or has to pee or poop. Meal is cold upon return. And the crying. Oh my goodness, the crying, whining, and general disagreements to anything and everything. Often, we leave a restaurant frazzled and worn out. Maybe we should consider take-out during travel. I can't skip out on the local food of a new country I'm visiting because that's just stupid. So, I'm not going to eat PB&J if I can avoid it. But, take-out should be an option for us next time.

I had wanted to shop for Italian pottery. I ended up buying barely anything. For one, I just couldn't find a good deal. The American dollar has hit the pooper and I just can't bring myself to pay the equivalent of $20 American for a plate the size of a saucer. Just one plate. The Nex had a decent selection of local pottery. However, by the time I decided what I wanted, it was too late to mail it and it wasn't going to fit in our luggage. The second reason I didn't buy much was because I couldn't find a good deal if it was staring me in the face. I just didn't have the time. The kids were like time bombs and I had to think quick before a bomb went off. I mean, I couldn't dump the kids on my husband more than I already had. I ended up with two roosters to join my Italian rooster collection (three total). I'll just collect Portuguese pottery for the time being unless I strike a deal in another country at some point.

I did, however, "score" at the NEX (that's when I left the girls with Matt for several hours). The Nex here in Portugal (otherwise known as a PX) is about 45-minutes away from our house and mostly carries junk food. It's really a shame. Matt and I frequently talk about how much better it could be if it were under different management and in a better location.

So, I was really exited to be able to visit an "American" store. I was dazed upon entering and didn't know where to begin. I've been looking for new jeans for weeks. I was down to my last pair. I could not find a decent pair of jeans on the local economy. For one, the local look (and, I noticed in Italy too) is tapered jeans with leather boots over them. And, if they don't fit in the butt properly, they just don't care. They'll just let it all hang out or wear long sweaters or shirts with belts around the waste. It's a good look for those who can pull it off. I'm still trying to get over my "Alaska Casual" style and have a lot of work to do in updating my wardrobe. Finally, at the Nex, I found some Levis. A pair of "mommy" jeans and a pair of modern, low-cut jeans. Every mom needs some mommy jeans. The kind that hit your belly button. Throw on a longer sweater or top and no one will know. That way, when you're bending down to pick up a child, you're not baring your stretch-marked arse to everyone. And, if you don't have stretchmarks and/or a "mommy pouch," you suck (I had only one or two very small stretch marks until the last week or two of my pregnancy with Lila - while they aren't too bad, I really don't think my stomach will ever again be truly low-cut jean worthy unless I wear proper length tops).

I also purchased a Bialetti Mukka Express L'Arte del Cappuccino maker. I am so excited about this purchase and have reviewed it on my sister site.

We sampled and bought a dozen or so bottles of Italian wine at the Nex. I like Portuguese wine and try to make that our staple wine while living here. However, I love Italian wine. The wine we were served (house wine) and the fairly inexpensive (by American standards) wine we taste tested was amazing. I've recently read that great tasting wine doesn't have to cost a fortune and I learned how true that can sometimes be in Italy.

I found the food in Sicily to be good. Simple dishes, fresh ingredients, home style flavor. Portuguese food has more depth of flavor. I can't really say which type of food I like more. I'm leaning towards Portuguese food for meals and Italian food for desserts. Though, I think the Gelato tastes the same here in Portugal as it did in Italy.

Sicily is dirty. Dirty in comparison to out part of Portugal. Trash litters roadsides everywhere. One or two towns were clean. Other than that, I was unimpressed. Coastal Lisbon has more beauty than the parts of Sicily we visited.

I always have to point out baby-wearing observations. I saw a few Baby Bjorn-type carriers. Still, no parents wearing their children on their backs. What Matt and I didn't see a lot of, however, were strollers. Yippee! Finally. As I've mentioned before, the Portuguese are stroller-obsessed. They bring them and try to use them in the most inaccessible places. Matt and I've gotten a good many laughs. Most tourist places in Portugal are not stroller accessible. The same is true in Sicily. Of course we brought a stroller and used it a couple of times. But, wearing our kids works out so much better when exploring ancient ruins and narrow streets!
Overall, we're glad we went on the trip. We'll try to "tweak" things for future trips and just keep on bringing our girls with us!

Pictures from top to bottom: Greek Theatre, Orecchio di Dioniso (Ear of Dionysius), Car Ride Nap, Hiker-in-Training, Baby-Wearing in Sicily.

And We're Off

It's 8:15 on Tuesday morning. We're leaving for the airport at 10:45. The girls are still sleeping. We put them to bed late last night hoping they would sleep late. We're trying to get them on an Italy schedule. Matt scoped out Sicily when he was there a couple of weeks ago. The restaurants don't open for lunch until around 12:30 (right around nap time) and dinner at around 8:00 (past bedtime). So, we'll have to try to change their schedule up a bit. I wonder if schools start later or if the kids of many European countries are sleep deprived. It's a similar schedule here in Portugal and our Portuguese babysitter told me that the kids suffer from a schedule of late nights and early morning. Matt and I just keep the kids on an American schedule of early naps and early bedtimes - except for once a week when we eat out.

For this trip, Matt and I even sat down and finalized an itinerary. The GPS navigation system has been checked for appropriate POI's (Points of Interest) and Matt has deemed it an essential tool who must not forget.

I'm off to make some strong coffee and pop some Motrin. I'm already getting a headache. I dislike flying with young children. It never goes very well. I wish I could wear a sweatshirt, sweatpants and slippers. I hate standing in line for a coffee preflight and noticing that I'm standing next to someone dressed to kill for her flight. I mean, why wear four-inch heels and skirt on a flight? I just don't get it unless you're walking off the plane and immediately into a business meeting. I usually stick with a decent sweater, jeans and clogs that can be taken off easily during the flight.

Well, both kids have just woken up. So much for our plan. They didn't go to bed until 9:00. Therefore, they have slept under 12-hours. Bad. Very bad. We have a long flight. At least Lila slept through the night and had undisturbed sleep. Olivia usually sleeps 13-hours a night lately. Hey, at least we tried. We'll have to go with the flow and hope for the best!

We're off on our first European adventure with two kids under the age of three! Oh, and Lila's cutting about three teeth....this is going to be fun folks!

Sicily It Is!

Well, Matt and I finally decided where to go during his vacation next month. While we absolutely love living in Portugal, it's not as easy to get to other countries as it would be if we were stationed in, say, Germany.

For a while, we were stumped and focused on The Algarve or Porto. But, we live in Portugal! We have weekends to visit even as far away as Porto. I want to see Europe on Matt's vacations! I had been to Spain and France. And, while I'd love to go again, I want to hit countries I haven't been to. What about Matt you say? Well, he's not all that interested in art, architecture, or history of Europe. If hiking/climbing or fishing isn't involved, he's tagging along to help out with the kids and enjoy the food. Winter-hiking in the Alps may be a dream of his, however, not something you can do with two small children and a wife who doesn't like the cold. `

So, we choose Sicily because it is mild and sunny all winter long. Actually, the winter months are recommended as good travel months due to the lower cost of air fare, mild climate and absence of foreign travelers (making it easier to mingle with locals). We were able to get airline tickets for all of us for about $1,300 (flying out of a major hub from the US to Sicily would be close to $5,000 - so, living in Europe does have its perks). We're staying at the US Navy Lodge in Sicily for a very reasonable price (though the rooms aren't as large as I would like and I predict poor sleep the whole week).

We know we'll visit Mount Etna, markets and wineries. However, if anyone reading this post has traveled to Sicily and has any recommendations, whether it be restaurants, shopping, site-seeing, off-the-beaten path secrets, etc., let us know! We'd love any recommendations!