I thought I would tell you about being awake for 26 hours because neither of us slept during our flights; or that we have yet to solve the problem that our cell phones don’t work here; or that we got a crash course (fortunately not on the plane) in Italian train travel because we missed our direct bus to Treviso when the driver didn’t understand that I was saying, “Treviso”; or that the taxi driver who took us from the Treviso train station to our hotel grumbled “fine” when I asked, “How are you?”, but beamed, threw his hands in the air and said, “Sono molto bene!” when I said, without confidence, “Mi dispiace, come stai?”; or how shocked we were to walk off the plane and have it feel as hot and humid as when we stepped off the plane in New Orleans – as I write this, there is thunder and lightning and it’s pouring rain outside. But I’m not going to tell you about any of that; I want to tell you about the breakfast at our hotel!

We’re staying at the Hotel Rovere in Treviso for a few days to rest up and wander in a quieter, calmer place than what we imagine Venice will be. Treviso is not far from Venice, in the region of Italy known as the Veneto and is the capital of the province of Treviso.

I wish you could join us for the breakfast at this hotel, la prima colazione! Ultra flaky, golden croissants, pear tart with vanilla custard , cannoli, jam filled cookies, tiny Nutella tarts topped with hazelnuts, and several choices of bread and rolls were fresh from the bakery downstairs. There was fresh fruit salad with big chunks of bananas, pears, nectarines, grapes and kiwi. And on the table, just beyond the salad: creamy yogurt, razor thin prosciutto, provolone, brie, hard boiled eggs, and espresso – oh sweet espresso, after 40 hours without caffeine and an aching head.

We’re off now to walk along the ancient Venetian wall that surrounds this city, see the Piazza dei Signori, oh, and, buy a cell phone that works in Italy.

Arrivederci!

(hover over words and phrases with your mouse for a translation)