Italy 2012: Travel and Day 1

The weeks leading up to the forklift exhibition install have been gnarly.

A new line of forklifts is about to debut and the company party planning has been in full swing. There have been many, even daily, rehearsals for the Hammerslag Singers a capella group. Our Hawaiian band has been rehearsing for a gig in the late summer with a hula halau. I've been in non-stop meetings lately. The girl band has been rehearsing for Slagapalooza. It's too much.

Sun: Grand Mamoo sleepover

Mon: Hawaiian language class on day of anniversary

Tue: Lady band

Wed: Hawaiian band

Thur: Too tired to celebrate our anniversary. Where are my priorities?

Fri: Flop on sofa

Sat: Rehearse with hula halau. Get dressy. Go to forklift party. Perform. Take first bus home

Sun: Flop on sofa. Pack. Get on plane. Golden State to Frankfurt > Verona> Mantova

We flew United. I would like to point out that they collect a fair amount of money but the ride was janky. The seats were difficult to operate and didn't fit my body. The food was really sad. I expect that in economy and totally go with it. I expect more when I'm in business class. Usually my fave part of the flight.

Frankfurt airport was vast. It took 5 minutes for the bus to get us from our terminal to the very modest plane. Although we got off to a bad start when the lavatory door sprung open during takeoff and I, in the first seat, had a front row view, the rest of the trip was fabulous. Love you, Lufthansa. Had one of the best plane meals ever, for this teensy flight. Can it please be asparagus season when we come back at the end of the week? White asparagus with strawberry puree and sesame mayonnaise. Asparagus mousse. Asparagus in aspic. It was insanely delicious and gorgeous.

 

Verona airport is so small that only three planes were there. Nobody stamped my passport. I entered a whole different country and didn't get a stamp? That seems odd.

Once in Mantova, we stopped by the restaurant that serves as the HQ for our hotel. Piazza delle Erbe, our home base for the week, was a lovely cobblestone courtyard with outdoor seating for various restaurants.

My room was fabulous. You could have roller skated in it. And dig the Panton chairs! 

 

We kept moving and went to dinner at a place with frescoed walls and ceilings. Some of our offerings were curry chicken, this prosciutto volcano

pigtails (aka taralli) 

and my interesting fish that was mixed with a relish that could have been made out of cactus.

Then to bed.

And up again for a few hours. Didn't get my sleep cycle set until later in the week.