We were offline for a few days as we switched Internet services. We now have Alice 20 meg or so they call it. So far we are only getting 2 meg or a little more but that is way better than what we had with Tele2 which was supposed to be 4 meg but rarely exceeded 1.5. It's been raining here the last few days and aside from everything being super green we also have some snow on the high mountains we can see out our window. It's very beautiful.
My garden has been growing very well and we are over run with lettuce. We even have some tomatoes. But they will be awhile before they turn red. Just hope the bugs don't get them.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Polka
It was a nice weekend in Belluno. In town there were events supporting local industries and businesses. In the park there was a big tent in which they served polenta cooked the old way, in a copper pot over a wood fire. We had a nice lunch on Saturday there.
Today we went back the four of us on our bikes, Giovanni was a little nervous as he's still not that good on the two wheeler. In fact he fell a couple of times. We passed through the park for a while. In the big tent they were still serving the same good local food.
There was one of those two man bands, you know with the recorded accompaniment. A few couples danced to some polka music. They caught my eye, a couple somewhere in their eighties. He was thin and spry, with a lively look as he moved across the asphalt dance floor, she looked somewhat frail but very focused. They moved together in unison, their feet one inside the other, moving and turning in a dance they must have done more than a thousand times before. The music stopped and when it began again they were back, gliding through the room to the lively beat of the Polka in a way that could only be accomplished through years of ups and downs and the understanding that can only come through so many moments together.
Today we went back the four of us on our bikes, Giovanni was a little nervous as he's still not that good on the two wheeler. In fact he fell a couple of times. We passed through the park for a while. In the big tent they were still serving the same good local food.
There was one of those two man bands, you know with the recorded accompaniment. A few couples danced to some polka music. They caught my eye, a couple somewhere in their eighties. He was thin and spry, with a lively look as he moved across the asphalt dance floor, she looked somewhat frail but very focused. They moved together in unison, their feet one inside the other, moving and turning in a dance they must have done more than a thousand times before. The music stopped and when it began again they were back, gliding through the room to the lively beat of the Polka in a way that could only be accomplished through years of ups and downs and the understanding that can only come through so many moments together.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Country Life
We went to the house in Pradipozzo for Luisa's dad's 70th birthday. The house is an old country home, 9 bedrooms. In the evening there were 4 families there spending the night. It was all pretty standard, birthday lunch, then dinner later. But what struck me was around 10:00 everyone just went off to their rooms. I had this feeling of being in a world of 100 years ago when large families worked the land and all lived together in those big homes one sees somewhat abandoned in these times. Each family had to find it's space.
Friday, May 11, 2007
What's your day like?
I have noticed that even though we don't get a ton of viewers you are coming from all over the World. So tell me what is your day like. Mine is like this:
We get up at 7am, I make a pot of American style coffee from coffee we grind. Then I check the email and read a little news on the internet. Luisa and the kids get up she does most of the morning work with the kids as I'm not a morning person. It takes me some time to start functioning. At around 7:45 I take Julia our daughter to school either walking or in the car if we are late. Sometimes we also manage to get Giovanni going to preschool then too, otherwise Luisa takes him around 9.
Then it's across the hall to our office where we work until lunch time on some days I take off around 11:45 to swim at the local pool. It's a great facility, all enclosed so it's good also in the winter. When I swim Luisa eats lunch by herself and I eat when I get back. On the other days we eat together.
In the afternoon it's back to the office around 4:00 it's time to pick up the kids. They have after school sports, swimming lessons, dance classes etc. So it's always a bit hectic until around 6:30. On various days since much of our work is in California I'm on the phone or sending email in the evening. This can go on until 10:00 when I usually put the VOIP phone on do not disturb.
We share the cooking, kitchen cleaning, putting kids in bed, etc. so that takes us through dinner and until 9:30 or so. Around that time Luisa sits down for the first time in a few hours and almost immediately falls asleep. I watch TV, ck email or read and then it's off to bed. That's it, pretty standard, and not so different from life anywhere.
Of course there are differences here in Italy but they mostly involve things outside the daily routine.
So lets hear from you, what did you do today?
We get up at 7am, I make a pot of American style coffee from coffee we grind. Then I check the email and read a little news on the internet. Luisa and the kids get up she does most of the morning work with the kids as I'm not a morning person. It takes me some time to start functioning. At around 7:45 I take Julia our daughter to school either walking or in the car if we are late. Sometimes we also manage to get Giovanni going to preschool then too, otherwise Luisa takes him around 9.
Then it's across the hall to our office where we work until lunch time on some days I take off around 11:45 to swim at the local pool. It's a great facility, all enclosed so it's good also in the winter. When I swim Luisa eats lunch by herself and I eat when I get back. On the other days we eat together.
In the afternoon it's back to the office around 4:00 it's time to pick up the kids. They have after school sports, swimming lessons, dance classes etc. So it's always a bit hectic until around 6:30. On various days since much of our work is in California I'm on the phone or sending email in the evening. This can go on until 10:00 when I usually put the VOIP phone on do not disturb.
We share the cooking, kitchen cleaning, putting kids in bed, etc. so that takes us through dinner and until 9:30 or so. Around that time Luisa sits down for the first time in a few hours and almost immediately falls asleep. I watch TV, ck email or read and then it's off to bed. That's it, pretty standard, and not so different from life anywhere.
Of course there are differences here in Italy but they mostly involve things outside the daily routine.
So lets hear from you, what did you do today?
Monday, May 7, 2007
The Garden
How about a picture of my garden. Thanks to global warming, I'm 3 weeks ahead of schedule with it.
And the recent rains turned everything around here super green. Here is a picture looking out one of our windows.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
DRIVING IN ITALY PART TWO
This will probably end up being three parts so today I’ll talk about some general rules of the road and a few regulations.
Note, I’m just giving some personal thoughts on driving, so don’t depend on this as an actual list of the laws. I take no responsibility for these comments. Use them at your own risk.
First if you think you might drive while in Italy stop off at the Auto Club and get an international drivers license. It’s basically just a translation of your US license. It is required in Italy, you must also have your actual US license in your position.
If you get stopped which is actually pretty unlikely, and are ticketed you might have to pay a fine on the spot that is the law for anyone coming from a country such as the US that does not have an agreement for reciprocal licensing.
You can drive in Italy with your foreign license for 1 year before having to get an Italian license.
So now some general points, no matter what you might think about the craziness of Italian drivers you do have to follow the rules here. At least you do in the North where I’ve been driving. It’s not that much different than driving in the US. Don’t be afraid of driving, just pay attention and drive pretty much like you do at home.
Wear you seat belt, it’s the law
Do not drink and drive if stopped you might get the car taken away and arrested.
Do not talk on the cell phone, unless using a hands free setup.
Do not eat a hamburger, French fries and drink a coke while driving, just kidding. But generally, don’t take your eyes off the road things seem to happen faster here.
You can not turn right on a red light.
Look for the white line at the stop light it is well before the actual light if you stop too far forward you might not be able to see the light change.
If you see a pedestrian standing in the crosswalk you must stop for him. Some people actually do stop.
A stop sign does mean stop but it seems to be more of a stronger yield sign, rolling stops seem to be ok.
Drivers are required by law to stop and aid injured people in accidents.
No matter what you may have heard there are speed limits, so pay attention to them.
Italian drivers get really pissed if you don’t signal before turning, it’s mainly because they are usually following too close.
Round abouts are fun and all over the country, the cars inside them have the right of way, when entering there seems to be a bunch of confusion about who has the right of way. It should be the person on the right, but I don’t think anyone understands that, just be careful and a little aggressive.
You are required to drive to the right of the road. It means stay in the right lane, but more about that next.
When driving on the Autostrada or main roads you must have your lights on even in day time. So just turn them on all the time.
Get a copy of the European road signs and study them.
Now some general hints that don’t have much to do with the rules.
The Autostrada is pretty much like a US freeway. They are generally in good condition. I always use them.
But, you must be a little more careful than in the US. You only pass on the left, so no weaving in and out.
If another car comes up behind you move over out of it’s way so they can pass. Try not to get too pissed off, as I do at times, when they ride your rear bumper flashing their lights even if there are twenty cars in front of you going slow.
Trucks are the major hazard on the Autostrada. They will pass each other moving into the lane you are in cutting you off. So watch them, if you see one approaching another in front of him be aware that he will probably want to pass rather than lose his momentum.
I’ve discovered that it seems safer to drive fairly fast and stay in the far left lane as much as possible as on a three lane road the trucks aren’t allowed in that lane. If you drive slow in the left lane you will be constantly having to move over so cars can pass you which is a big pain in the ass.
Finding your way around is a lot fun, the good thing is that there are plenty of signs, almost too many. The main idea is to know what major cities are in your general direction. The signs will always point you towards those cities. If you have a portable navigation gps why not get maps for Italy and bring it along. We got one and use it all the time.
Driving in the city, good news is Italians don’t generally get too worked up if you cross three lanes to make a left turn in front of them and other such things that might cause road rage in the US. Seems to me like everyone is just trying to get where they are going. They can be pushy, my hint is to never acknowledge the presence of the other drivers. Just drive like you know where you are going. Of course you still have to look out for them and follow common sense driving rules. It’s just that if you get too timid you’ll get left behind.
I think that’s it for this chapter.
Note, I’m just giving some personal thoughts on driving, so don’t depend on this as an actual list of the laws. I take no responsibility for these comments. Use them at your own risk.
First if you think you might drive while in Italy stop off at the Auto Club and get an international drivers license. It’s basically just a translation of your US license. It is required in Italy, you must also have your actual US license in your position.
If you get stopped which is actually pretty unlikely, and are ticketed you might have to pay a fine on the spot that is the law for anyone coming from a country such as the US that does not have an agreement for reciprocal licensing.
You can drive in Italy with your foreign license for 1 year before having to get an Italian license.
So now some general points, no matter what you might think about the craziness of Italian drivers you do have to follow the rules here. At least you do in the North where I’ve been driving. It’s not that much different than driving in the US. Don’t be afraid of driving, just pay attention and drive pretty much like you do at home.
Wear you seat belt, it’s the law
Do not drink and drive if stopped you might get the car taken away and arrested.
Do not talk on the cell phone, unless using a hands free setup.
Do not eat a hamburger, French fries and drink a coke while driving, just kidding. But generally, don’t take your eyes off the road things seem to happen faster here.
You can not turn right on a red light.
Look for the white line at the stop light it is well before the actual light if you stop too far forward you might not be able to see the light change.
If you see a pedestrian standing in the crosswalk you must stop for him. Some people actually do stop.
A stop sign does mean stop but it seems to be more of a stronger yield sign, rolling stops seem to be ok.
Drivers are required by law to stop and aid injured people in accidents.
No matter what you may have heard there are speed limits, so pay attention to them.
Italian drivers get really pissed if you don’t signal before turning, it’s mainly because they are usually following too close.
Round abouts are fun and all over the country, the cars inside them have the right of way, when entering there seems to be a bunch of confusion about who has the right of way. It should be the person on the right, but I don’t think anyone understands that, just be careful and a little aggressive.
You are required to drive to the right of the road. It means stay in the right lane, but more about that next.
When driving on the Autostrada or main roads you must have your lights on even in day time. So just turn them on all the time.
Get a copy of the European road signs and study them.
Now some general hints that don’t have much to do with the rules.
The Autostrada is pretty much like a US freeway. They are generally in good condition. I always use them.
But, you must be a little more careful than in the US. You only pass on the left, so no weaving in and out.
If another car comes up behind you move over out of it’s way so they can pass. Try not to get too pissed off, as I do at times, when they ride your rear bumper flashing their lights even if there are twenty cars in front of you going slow.
Trucks are the major hazard on the Autostrada. They will pass each other moving into the lane you are in cutting you off. So watch them, if you see one approaching another in front of him be aware that he will probably want to pass rather than lose his momentum.
I’ve discovered that it seems safer to drive fairly fast and stay in the far left lane as much as possible as on a three lane road the trucks aren’t allowed in that lane. If you drive slow in the left lane you will be constantly having to move over so cars can pass you which is a big pain in the ass.
Finding your way around is a lot fun, the good thing is that there are plenty of signs, almost too many. The main idea is to know what major cities are in your general direction. The signs will always point you towards those cities. If you have a portable navigation gps why not get maps for Italy and bring it along. We got one and use it all the time.
Driving in the city, good news is Italians don’t generally get too worked up if you cross three lanes to make a left turn in front of them and other such things that might cause road rage in the US. Seems to me like everyone is just trying to get where they are going. They can be pushy, my hint is to never acknowledge the presence of the other drivers. Just drive like you know where you are going. Of course you still have to look out for them and follow common sense driving rules. It’s just that if you get too timid you’ll get left behind.
I think that’s it for this chapter.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The Hunting Club
A friend of ours along with his family owns a hunting club about 40 minutes drive South of Milan. It's really a big farm with one of the old farm buildings that is build around a very large courtyard. The original entrance to the building was through a huge gate that could be closed to keep out intruders 200 years ago. Now the building has been divided diagonally through the courtyard. Half belonging to the brother that farms on the land and the other half to the one who raises ducks and peasants and uses the land for hunting. They raise something over 40,000 birds a year and release them for hunting or sell them to other hunting clubs.
Here are some pictures. It's not hunting season so the pictures are just of the overall area, the pens, baby ducks and so on. http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/HuntClub
And here is the website of the club http://www.venatoriaerbogna.it/allevamento.htm
Of course it's all in Italian but if you click on the various titles at the top you can see some of their pictures and get a good idea of what it's like.
Here are some pictures. It's not hunting season so the pictures are just of the overall area, the pens, baby ducks and so on. http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/HuntClub
And here is the website of the club http://www.venatoriaerbogna.it/allevamento.htm
Of course it's all in Italian but if you click on the various titles at the top you can see some of their pictures and get a good idea of what it's like.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Flying Tour of the Dolomites
Last November I did a little picture taking tour flying from Belluno up to Cortina and back click here to see the pictures. http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/FlyingTheDolomites
You may have seen them before in an email, but here on the picasaweb picture site you can see the full resolution pictures.
You may have seen them before in an email, but here on the picasaweb picture site you can see the full resolution pictures.
Sexism in Italy
Well I started something about nudity in Italian advertising and then when I got a couple of heated responses decided to delete it. But now it's back. Maybe controversy is good. Anyway Italian advertising and tv is full of big tited small waisted young women. One might think they are just a bunch of bimbos, some I suppose are, but are many of them smarter than the rest of us. They probably make more money than we do. Driving through Milan this last weekend we noticed a completely nude profile in an ad visible as we drove down a busy street. In the mall here in Belluno is a big poster of a large breasted women.
Funny thing is I recently read about an experiment where they basically proved that sex does not help sell anything. Men remembered the ad but could not remember what it was about. Women were more or less neutral. It's true, I don't know what that girl in the mall was selling, but she sure has a fine set of knockers.
The thing that gets in peoples head is that all this nudity in advertising and on tv portrays women as just sex objects without a thought on their minds. I think that is just prejudice, when you can't think a person is capable of an intelligent thought because of their, face, skin and body shape what else is it.
Bottom line, beautiful women aren't going away, I hope, and people mostly men will always enjoy looking at them. Our last Pope John Paul wrote something to the affect that God created the human body to be enjoyed. It's lust that gets us in trouble.
Funny thing is I recently read about an experiment where they basically proved that sex does not help sell anything. Men remembered the ad but could not remember what it was about. Women were more or less neutral. It's true, I don't know what that girl in the mall was selling, but she sure has a fine set of knockers.
The thing that gets in peoples head is that all this nudity in advertising and on tv portrays women as just sex objects without a thought on their minds. I think that is just prejudice, when you can't think a person is capable of an intelligent thought because of their, face, skin and body shape what else is it.
Bottom line, beautiful women aren't going away, I hope, and people mostly men will always enjoy looking at them. Our last Pope John Paul wrote something to the affect that God created the human body to be enjoyed. It's lust that gets us in trouble.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
A Nice Walk in the Hills of Belluno
We took this walk last year it's about a 15 minute drive from Belluno at the base of the Dolomites click the link to see the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/BellunoHike10905
http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/BellunoHike10905
Friday, April 20, 2007
Venice pictures
Go here to see pictures of Venice and the end of Carnevale
http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/Carnevale07
http://picasaweb.google.com/HMItaly/Carnevale07
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Driving in Italy Part One
First most of my comments are directed towards the northern part of Italy. I have driven to the South but only along the East coast not in any of the cities. This part is just a general discussion. Part 2 will be more about rules of the road.
So, first I have driven a lot here over a period of many years of visits and now nearly two years of living here. We are making almost monthly trips from Belluno to Milan for our daughters orthodondist appointments and that is where Lusia's parents live most of the time. Driving here is not so different from driving in the US a few rules are different and some people tend to drive much faster on the Autostrada. Generally, though sometimes it may not seem that way no one wants to have an accident. And Italian drivers even or especially the ones driving fast pay a lot of attention to their driving. You don't see them eating a hamburger and fries while driving 150 k/hr.
Even though there is great public transportation driving a car is still the most efficient way to get around. It is possible to get around without one and if coming for a tour of Italy one sticks to the larger cities one can do well without one. And also if one is in a large city like Milan parking can be such a problem that public transportation becomes the best choice when possible. But once one gets out of the more dense areas moving about without a car can be a problem.
I will close this part by saying that if you are thinking of visiting Italy and want to get around as freely as possible don't hesitate to rent a car and drive.
So, first I have driven a lot here over a period of many years of visits and now nearly two years of living here. We are making almost monthly trips from Belluno to Milan for our daughters orthodondist appointments and that is where Lusia's parents live most of the time. Driving here is not so different from driving in the US a few rules are different and some people tend to drive much faster on the Autostrada. Generally, though sometimes it may not seem that way no one wants to have an accident. And Italian drivers even or especially the ones driving fast pay a lot of attention to their driving. You don't see them eating a hamburger and fries while driving 150 k/hr.
Even though there is great public transportation driving a car is still the most efficient way to get around. It is possible to get around without one and if coming for a tour of Italy one sticks to the larger cities one can do well without one. And also if one is in a large city like Milan parking can be such a problem that public transportation becomes the best choice when possible. But once one gets out of the more dense areas moving about without a car can be a problem.
I will close this part by saying that if you are thinking of visiting Italy and want to get around as freely as possible don't hesitate to rent a car and drive.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Air Travel With Children
Traveling with children
I wrote this a few years ago, but nothing much has changed.
People who know us and know that we travel a lot with our children sometimes ask us for some hints as to what to take and how difficult is it. You see my wife’s family lives in Italy and I have older children from a previous marriage living far from us. In the last year we have traveled from San Diego with our 4 and 2 year old children twice to Italy, once to Tahiti and once to New Zealand. Our two little ones have been traveling with us mainly to Italy once or twice a year since they were just a couple of months old.
So what are the secrets to easily traveling with babies and toddlers and what about all the advice generally given. What works and what doesn’t? That is what I hope to answer is this short article.
First one must consider that age of the child. As children change so quickly over the first few years so do their needs and manageability when traveling. Also consider the length of the trip number of stops, and the possibility of getting stuck in an airport or overnight somewhere.
Now let’s get started. Stroller, car seats, backpack, toys, books, etc. which to bring and which not, depends upon where you are going and what will be available when you get there. If traveling by car at your destination, you have to bring the car seat. We bought a big nylon duffle bag to put two in and checked it in as baggage. But now when traveling to Italy we have the grandparents supply them when we get there, same with the stroller. You will need it, if you need it at home so either bring yours or have one available at your destination. The good news is that you can keep your baby in the stroller right up to the gate of most airlines. Then they will stow it in baggage for you and deliver it back to you just as you get off the plane. But be sure to mention it when you check in so it has the proper tags. You will either get it tagged at the counter or at the gate counter. It depends on the airline. Then you can use it while waiting to board.
With a young baby every parent already has the basics for the flight packed in that trusty diaper bag – diapers, pacifier, bottles, formula, wipes and changes of clothes. Not much more is needed for the trip other than enough of everything for the anticipated time in route. The breastfeeding mom has a bit of an advantage here as she does in all the other good things about breastfeeding. For babies on formula the powdered kind is most convenient as it is light and easy to pack. Bring some bottled water to last through the airport wait and then on the plane you can ask for a bottle of water and ask the flight attendant to warm the mixture up for you. Flight attendants are most helpful for a couple of reasons. One is that they want to make you and your baby comfortable, the other perhaps more important to them is that if you your baby is happy (meaning quiet) the other passengers are also happy. One can sometimes see the fear in the eyes of passengers near you as you approach with that cute yet potentially screaming little bundle of joy. And they will sometimes thank you at the end of a long flight in which you have made the heroic effort to keep your baby happy and calm.
How do you do you keep your baby calm during the flight. It starts at the ticket counter. You will have seats already assigned, but the airlines on international flights generally reserve seats behind a bulkhead for passengers who are either handicapped or traveling with an infant. In fact these bulkheads usually have a place for a small baby bed to be used during the flight. So as you check in tell them you would like the bulkhead row. Insist on it in a nice way. Getting to the airport early helps here as these seats are only given out at the airport on a first come first served basis. Bulkhead rows will have more legroom and no one in front of you reclining their seat all the way back. They become in a way your private space, usually having enough room to let the kids stand up and move about a bit without bothering anyone else.
If your baby is less than two years old you don’t have to buy her a seat and will have to hold her in your lap during take off and landing. An odd rule here is that US airlines are not allowed to give you the seatbelt for your baby that would attach to yours but others, British Airlines for example, do. If you can afford to buy that extra seat you can bring your car seat along for the baby. We have never done this but once our kids were over two and we had to buy the seat I have to admit that it was much more comfortable.
The most troublesome part of traveling with a small one is the take off and descent for landing as the air pressure changes can cause pain in sinuses and ears if not relieved. The easiest way of relieving the pressure with a baby is to have her nurse during these two times. So a bit of timing with feeding is useful. The pacifier is also helpful. One can also consider with a doctors advice giving the baby a bit of decongestant or a nasal spray like Afrin. Other passengers have told us that messaging the neck just below the ears is helpful. In spite of all your efforts your baby may still be uncomfortable and cry during these periods. You will just have to comfort him as best you can and know he will feel better in a few minutes.
During the flight, what about all those toys and things that most travel advisers suggest you bring to keep the kids occupied. We tried that a few times and generally they just end up making a big mess, in your seats, and on the floor. The attention span of these little ones is too short for the toys to really be of use on a long flight. So be very selective. Don’t burden yourself with backpacks full of dolls, toys, and coloring books. You will already have to much to carry on and off the plane and don’t forget that when you return you will no doubt have more to carry than when you left. A couple of books and a favorite doll, soft toy and blanket just to give some sense of security, is about the best you can do. So what does one do when the kid gets cranky and bored; well it’s difficult. Most international flights now have tv entertainment which works pretty well for those a little older. For the baby it’s mostly a matter of drawing upon the tricks you use everyday, play with them, sing, caress them, carry them around the plane. Making the circular trip around the aisles works pretty well for part of the flight and gives you a good excuse to get up and move around. Don’t be afraid to get out of your seat and take advantage of the entire area of the plane you have access to. When food is not being served you can stand for a while in the areas near the exits or at the end of rows where the flight attendants hang out. Let them look out the little window in the door, or perhaps talk and play with a friendly fellow passenger.
Hopefully they sleep as much as possible. It can help to arrange your trip for a time when they usually sleep. With kids a little older a bit of antihistamine should make them drowsy. Try it at home to make certain that it doesn’t have the opposite effect.
You won’t be able to sleep or read like in the pre-baby days. But hey you’re used to that by now. You and your spouse can take turns. Working together, patience and the knowledge that the flight does have an end will see you through.
Your reward is the pleasure your children and distant relatives will have in being able to maintain the family connections. Our children are fluent in Italian and English and it’s such a pleasure to see them playing with their Italian cousins as if they were playing with kids down the street. I believe that these experiences at this early age will have a lasting benefit in mental development and awareness and understanding of the greater World around them. Or if just traveling on a family vacation to distant islands, your own experiences can be so much greater when you can share them with those you love.
I wrote this a few years ago, but nothing much has changed.
People who know us and know that we travel a lot with our children sometimes ask us for some hints as to what to take and how difficult is it. You see my wife’s family lives in Italy and I have older children from a previous marriage living far from us. In the last year we have traveled from San Diego with our 4 and 2 year old children twice to Italy, once to Tahiti and once to New Zealand. Our two little ones have been traveling with us mainly to Italy once or twice a year since they were just a couple of months old.
So what are the secrets to easily traveling with babies and toddlers and what about all the advice generally given. What works and what doesn’t? That is what I hope to answer is this short article.
First one must consider that age of the child. As children change so quickly over the first few years so do their needs and manageability when traveling. Also consider the length of the trip number of stops, and the possibility of getting stuck in an airport or overnight somewhere.
Now let’s get started. Stroller, car seats, backpack, toys, books, etc. which to bring and which not, depends upon where you are going and what will be available when you get there. If traveling by car at your destination, you have to bring the car seat. We bought a big nylon duffle bag to put two in and checked it in as baggage. But now when traveling to Italy we have the grandparents supply them when we get there, same with the stroller. You will need it, if you need it at home so either bring yours or have one available at your destination. The good news is that you can keep your baby in the stroller right up to the gate of most airlines. Then they will stow it in baggage for you and deliver it back to you just as you get off the plane. But be sure to mention it when you check in so it has the proper tags. You will either get it tagged at the counter or at the gate counter. It depends on the airline. Then you can use it while waiting to board.
With a young baby every parent already has the basics for the flight packed in that trusty diaper bag – diapers, pacifier, bottles, formula, wipes and changes of clothes. Not much more is needed for the trip other than enough of everything for the anticipated time in route. The breastfeeding mom has a bit of an advantage here as she does in all the other good things about breastfeeding. For babies on formula the powdered kind is most convenient as it is light and easy to pack. Bring some bottled water to last through the airport wait and then on the plane you can ask for a bottle of water and ask the flight attendant to warm the mixture up for you. Flight attendants are most helpful for a couple of reasons. One is that they want to make you and your baby comfortable, the other perhaps more important to them is that if you your baby is happy (meaning quiet) the other passengers are also happy. One can sometimes see the fear in the eyes of passengers near you as you approach with that cute yet potentially screaming little bundle of joy. And they will sometimes thank you at the end of a long flight in which you have made the heroic effort to keep your baby happy and calm.
How do you do you keep your baby calm during the flight. It starts at the ticket counter. You will have seats already assigned, but the airlines on international flights generally reserve seats behind a bulkhead for passengers who are either handicapped or traveling with an infant. In fact these bulkheads usually have a place for a small baby bed to be used during the flight. So as you check in tell them you would like the bulkhead row. Insist on it in a nice way. Getting to the airport early helps here as these seats are only given out at the airport on a first come first served basis. Bulkhead rows will have more legroom and no one in front of you reclining their seat all the way back. They become in a way your private space, usually having enough room to let the kids stand up and move about a bit without bothering anyone else.
If your baby is less than two years old you don’t have to buy her a seat and will have to hold her in your lap during take off and landing. An odd rule here is that US airlines are not allowed to give you the seatbelt for your baby that would attach to yours but others, British Airlines for example, do. If you can afford to buy that extra seat you can bring your car seat along for the baby. We have never done this but once our kids were over two and we had to buy the seat I have to admit that it was much more comfortable.
The most troublesome part of traveling with a small one is the take off and descent for landing as the air pressure changes can cause pain in sinuses and ears if not relieved. The easiest way of relieving the pressure with a baby is to have her nurse during these two times. So a bit of timing with feeding is useful. The pacifier is also helpful. One can also consider with a doctors advice giving the baby a bit of decongestant or a nasal spray like Afrin. Other passengers have told us that messaging the neck just below the ears is helpful. In spite of all your efforts your baby may still be uncomfortable and cry during these periods. You will just have to comfort him as best you can and know he will feel better in a few minutes.
During the flight, what about all those toys and things that most travel advisers suggest you bring to keep the kids occupied. We tried that a few times and generally they just end up making a big mess, in your seats, and on the floor. The attention span of these little ones is too short for the toys to really be of use on a long flight. So be very selective. Don’t burden yourself with backpacks full of dolls, toys, and coloring books. You will already have to much to carry on and off the plane and don’t forget that when you return you will no doubt have more to carry than when you left. A couple of books and a favorite doll, soft toy and blanket just to give some sense of security, is about the best you can do. So what does one do when the kid gets cranky and bored; well it’s difficult. Most international flights now have tv entertainment which works pretty well for those a little older. For the baby it’s mostly a matter of drawing upon the tricks you use everyday, play with them, sing, caress them, carry them around the plane. Making the circular trip around the aisles works pretty well for part of the flight and gives you a good excuse to get up and move around. Don’t be afraid to get out of your seat and take advantage of the entire area of the plane you have access to. When food is not being served you can stand for a while in the areas near the exits or at the end of rows where the flight attendants hang out. Let them look out the little window in the door, or perhaps talk and play with a friendly fellow passenger.
Hopefully they sleep as much as possible. It can help to arrange your trip for a time when they usually sleep. With kids a little older a bit of antihistamine should make them drowsy. Try it at home to make certain that it doesn’t have the opposite effect.
You won’t be able to sleep or read like in the pre-baby days. But hey you’re used to that by now. You and your spouse can take turns. Working together, patience and the knowledge that the flight does have an end will see you through.
Your reward is the pleasure your children and distant relatives will have in being able to maintain the family connections. Our children are fluent in Italian and English and it’s such a pleasure to see them playing with their Italian cousins as if they were playing with kids down the street. I believe that these experiences at this early age will have a lasting benefit in mental development and awareness and understanding of the greater World around them. Or if just traveling on a family vacation to distant islands, your own experiences can be so much greater when you can share them with those you love.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Good food in Venice
Whenever we go to Venice we eat at this place down a narrow walk a little hard to find. Luisa has been going there since she was a kid. You can stuff a family of four for 12 euro. Well that depends on appetites. You walk up and point to the things you want or if you speak Italian tell them, they hand it to you and then you find a place to sit amongst the crowd of locals and a few lucky tourists.
What I've always found interesting aside from the heavy deep fried food that I love is that they don't charge you up front. Even in crowded Venice, when you are done eating you just tell the guy what you ate and drank and pay.
Here is the approximate location: On the East side of the Rialto Bridge there is a little plaza, Campo San Bartolomia, from there walk a little more east near the end of the plaza turn left (north) on a little alley when you see the sign in the picture attached. We think the name of the street it's on is Calle della Bissa. Will have to check the names next time we are there. If you are coming from the train station just follow the Strada Nuova all the way around tell you get to the plaza. Or just follow signs to Rialto from wherever you are.
What I've always found interesting aside from the heavy deep fried food that I love is that they don't charge you up front. Even in crowded Venice, when you are done eating you just tell the guy what you ate and drank and pay.
Here is the approximate location: On the East side of the Rialto Bridge there is a little plaza, Campo San Bartolomia, from there walk a little more east near the end of the plaza turn left (north) on a little alley when you see the sign in the picture attached. We think the name of the street it's on is Calle della Bissa. Will have to check the names next time we are there. If you are coming from the train station just follow the Strada Nuova all the way around tell you get to the plaza. Or just follow signs to Rialto from wherever you are.
Note, don't go upstairs to eat unless you want regular restaurant prices and don't order anything that comes down from the restaurant. Just stick to the things you can see.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Paragliding in Italy
You drive to the end of the road going up a mountain above us. It takes maybe 20 minutes, the road should be one way, so one has to watch for traffic in the opposite direction then pull over so the two cars can pass. Then it's about a 20 min. hike to the spot where the paragliders take off. There is a nice flat area with a big view of Belluno and the surrounding area. We happened to meet Alberto who is a ski diving instructor here. I have talked with him a few times at the airport. He does the paragliding just for fun.
It was a warm, clear day with no clouds in the sky. We had a nice time with a little picnic and watched Alberto take off. He sailed around for half an hour or more then came back and landed in the spot he took off from. Said it was a little turbulent, but watching him it all looks so smooth and peacful. When we left he told he was waiting for a friend and would go up again.
It was a warm, clear day with no clouds in the sky. We had a nice time with a little picnic and watched Alberto take off. He sailed around for half an hour or more then came back and landed in the spot he took off from. Said it was a little turbulent, but watching him it all looks so smooth and peacful. When we left he told he was waiting for a friend and would go up again.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Summer begins today
Well not really, but for us today marks a mood change. This ski season has been a bit weird, plenty of snow in the mountains but none in the valley. So it's been hard to get in the mood. Never the less I managed to ski about 17 days, counting the two in Switzerland. Here in Belluno it's very warm today, at 5:15 this evening it's 74 f. outside. But since the final closing of the slopes is on Sunday, we took the day off to finish the ski season.
Turns out it was a lot of fun. We started for one spot but the lefts were closed so we went up ther road a bit farther and eventually skiied on the Mamolada which I think is one of or the highest point in the area at about 3,342 meters. I takes three gondolas to get there from the base, the first going almost vertical. I was always a bet afraid of it having never tired it and only riden up on the gondola in the summer when the view down is very long and steep. However, in reality it's just another intermediate run. The snow at the top was nearly perfect, the slopes wide and groomed with few skiiers and the views are too fantastic for me to describe. It was a short day as you can imagine with the warm weather the snow at the bottom can only be described as very heavy and wet.
So we closed out the season, finished skiing early had a nice cold beer and headed home. Now we can put the winter stuff away and get into the Summer frame of mind.
Turns out it was a lot of fun. We started for one spot but the lefts were closed so we went up ther road a bit farther and eventually skiied on the Mamolada which I think is one of or the highest point in the area at about 3,342 meters. I takes three gondolas to get there from the base, the first going almost vertical. I was always a bet afraid of it having never tired it and only riden up on the gondola in the summer when the view down is very long and steep. However, in reality it's just another intermediate run. The snow at the top was nearly perfect, the slopes wide and groomed with few skiiers and the views are too fantastic for me to describe. It was a short day as you can imagine with the warm weather the snow at the bottom can only be described as very heavy and wet.
So we closed out the season, finished skiing early had a nice cold beer and headed home. Now we can put the winter stuff away and get into the Summer frame of mind.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Easter in Italy
It's Monday the day after Easter. This is a national holiday in Italy so it's pretty quiet. The weekend and holiday gets a mixed review. Very good in general but bad in that there was a virus running through the family.
Erin our daughter who lives in Switzerland arrived late Thursday night about an hour after the virus hit me and I had to go to bed. Next day I was out. Luisa too wasn't feeling so good. Erin wanted to buy a stroller for her coming baby in Italy so luckily she found what she wanted on Friday and spent the rest of the day studying the complex workings of a modern stroller. Amazing how detailed they are. While, I groaned on the couch.
But Saturday was a pretty good day for everyone. It was sunny and warm. All the kids had fun playing in the yard, and we did a tour of the open market in town. Bad news came Saturday night when Erin and Ueli both got the fast moving virus in spite of having taken precautions. Luckily Davis did not get it.
Sunday, Easter a day of recovery for some. The mass at our church was nice. I always like going to the one that is geared towards the families with kids, the choir is accompanied by teenage guitar players and the singing is pretty lively. It has a nice warm feeling.
Erin our daughter who lives in Switzerland arrived late Thursday night about an hour after the virus hit me and I had to go to bed. Next day I was out. Luisa too wasn't feeling so good. Erin wanted to buy a stroller for her coming baby in Italy so luckily she found what she wanted on Friday and spent the rest of the day studying the complex workings of a modern stroller. Amazing how detailed they are. While, I groaned on the couch.
But Saturday was a pretty good day for everyone. It was sunny and warm. All the kids had fun playing in the yard, and we did a tour of the open market in town. Bad news came Saturday night when Erin and Ueli both got the fast moving virus in spite of having taken precautions. Luckily Davis did not get it.
Sunday, Easter a day of recovery for some. The mass at our church was nice. I always like going to the one that is geared towards the families with kids, the choir is accompanied by teenage guitar players and the singing is pretty lively. It has a nice warm feeling.
Friday, March 30, 2007
TGIF 03-30- 2007
Today, well not much new, we have decided to try and rent our guest rooms out for a little extra cash. And I'm working on our Help U Design blog trying to drive some traffic to it. All of this is about an attempt to create multiple streams of income. Doing architecture in California while living in Italy is a cool idea and works just fine as far doing the work is concerned. The problem is getting new work. What we really need is an agressive partner in San Diego who can pass on the work to us. Juergen the fellow who works for us more or less one day a week has been a life saver, but the time he can give us is very limited.
Yeah, I've added adsense ads here, hey every click counts. So go ahead click away.
What a life, my two oldest daughters are pregnant at the same time, I'll be going from a grandfather of 1 to 4 almost over night what could be cooler than that. At the sametime I have Julia and Giovanni to raise, life takes a lot of strange turns but these are all good.
Looking forward to Easter, Erin, Uli, Davis and 1b (no name yet) are coming down here Thursday night.
I am feeling too healthy lately, always makes me wonder what lurks beneath the surface waiting to raise it's ugly head at any moment. Get this I'm skiing better than I ever have and swimming a mile (1,700 meters) two or three times a week. Wow, at 63 the body can still get better. Now if my ankle would just stop hurting most of the time.
So Luisa just brought a glass of wine, salami, and cheese, that must be what's making me so healthy. I guess that's the signal to sign off for now, ciao tutti.
Yeah, I've added adsense ads here, hey every click counts. So go ahead click away.
What a life, my two oldest daughters are pregnant at the same time, I'll be going from a grandfather of 1 to 4 almost over night what could be cooler than that. At the sametime I have Julia and Giovanni to raise, life takes a lot of strange turns but these are all good.
Looking forward to Easter, Erin, Uli, Davis and 1b (no name yet) are coming down here Thursday night.
I am feeling too healthy lately, always makes me wonder what lurks beneath the surface waiting to raise it's ugly head at any moment. Get this I'm skiing better than I ever have and swimming a mile (1,700 meters) two or three times a week. Wow, at 63 the body can still get better. Now if my ankle would just stop hurting most of the time.
So Luisa just brought a glass of wine, salami, and cheese, that must be what's making me so healthy. I guess that's the signal to sign off for now, ciao tutti.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Sella Ronda
We did the Sella Ronda which is basically a skiing day around a group of the Dolomites that takes one through four mountain passes. The skiing is pretty much intermidiate. The bi
g challenge is that it makes a long day of skiing and one can't make too many mistakes or one doesn't make it back to the starting point and the car. It was the first time for Luisa and she was a little nervous. I did it last year with a friend. We did make a couple of mistakes that added about an hour total to our trip. In all it took
5 hours. More than half of that time is spend on lifts. It has to be one of the most
beautiful ski tours anywhere.
g challenge is that it makes a long day of skiing and one can't make too many mistakes or one doesn't make it back to the starting point and the car. It was the first time for Luisa and she was a little nervous. I did it last year with a friend. We did make a couple of mistakes that added about an hour total to our trip. In all it took5 hours. More than half of that time is spend on lifts. It has to be one of the most
beautiful ski tours anywhere.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
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