The things we carried...

Italian chocolates

pasta the shape of Italian landmarks such as the leaning tower of Pisa and the Coliseum

Hazelnut-chocolate grappa, aperol for my spritzi and Pistacchio

Venetian carnival mask: would have gotten more of these but as they are fragile, hard to keep from breaking

Plus an assortment of other little things that will be gifts to some of my readers.

The downside to constantly going from place to place by train is that you have to carry everything with you. You quickly learn to pack light. I selected the most lightweight versions of all my clothes and only used a small suitcase. I didn't bring my huge array of hair products I need to have nice hair so my hair suffered on this trip..clean but flat. I don't think I brought anything I didn't use (except for running clothes...no time). What I wish I brought? My bathing suit. In Castelrottto, we had a rooftop hot tub surrounded by the mountains. It would have been so nice...but then we didn't have much time. We did have a Jacuzzi in my room in Desesanzo which felt good on my sore body still stiff from my bicycle accident. Hand sanitizer would have been nice also (on my list but somehow I forgot it). I even made sure that I didn't have a full tube of toothpaste and deodorant so less weight. How much longer can I run up stairs carrying everything?

 At one point, two American ladies were struggling to get off a train carrying each two enormous suitcases.I bet that won't happen again. Rarely do train stations have elevators or escalators so on should be able to carry your bag up and down stairs.  At some point we needed to wash clothes so those silly bidets did come in handy. I brought those tiny Tide packets containing detergent and fabric softener. Our Firenze place had a patio with a clothes line. I also had a fannypack with multiple compartments and a backpack that could be worn in front in high crime areas (train stations!!!).

Steve took a big suitcase and felt compelled to fill it just because there was space despite my advice not to. He brought 4 heavy sweaters, several sweatshirts and a coat suitable for the arctic despite the long range forecast calling for temps well above 50. When it was close to 80, he had no short sleeved shirts (and this weather was correctly forecasted). On some of the regionale trains (cheap trains), there wasn't room for his big suitcase and it took 2 of us to hoist it above our heads in the ones that had room. He was warned but as he pointed out, it was his problem.

The heavier souvenirs we got at the last minute though my little suitcase was packed with some of the smaller items. I do like wine but I can't drink a whole bottle by myself. I'd buy one when we were staying someplace two nights. I'd put the overflow into a sealed metal container that I kept in my backpack. Later I switched to individual tiny bottles of my beloved spritzi that I would find in grocery stores.

It snowed! Just a few flurries but yuck! And there was patches of ice on my path this morning though it will be warm for a week or so. Too bad the very crappy weather happened on Halloween. Not many kids this year as the biting wind kept trick and treating short.

And I am only about a third of the way, despite many hours, editing and organizing the photos.

Josh and Allie and Shanna, Tessa and Daniel came for lunch. I missed those grandbabies! Allie walks quite well now.

Back to editing. I have a photobook that expires in 10 days so I want these photos to be ready. Then how to select the best from 2700!?!