Hotel Pineta Acqui Terme

There are two more blogs coming from me. The cars of Europe and how you drive them. Let's touch on driving first. I know that many of you have driven over here, but for those that have not, here is a little insight.

Munchen (Munich) is a big city a lot like Denver. Normal looking highways and roads of substantial size and width. It was a good place to get accustomed to driving in a foreign land with new signs and traffic lights and rules ...

so after getting through the Genova traffic because of the yearly boat show.....we arrived in the nice italian riviera.....had a really nice lunch and decided to stay here the night before heading to florence tomorrow. found a hotel and with a bit of negotiating, got quite a good rate. Jason made me do it because he thought it would help in speaking italian. i guess it did, on, he was right, but only this once lest it go to his head ...

... them like that any more (thank f**k!). I can't even remember how to ask for 2 beers (which is my current minimum requirement. It's 3 when Jamie's around). The lack of lingistic skills I have would be acceptable in most circumstances, but travelling with a Yank who is fluent in 2 languages that most Americans are even aware exist?!? Now that just doesn't seem right.

so left avignon today with thoughts to head to cinque terre, but due to traffic jam only made it as far as arenzano. found a cute pensione and jason was getting sick of driving so seemed like a good place to stop. tried a few others but was like walking through a sad run down old people town so didn't make it more than 5 mins there. well, happy hour time now, so will write more later....

All of my photos have now been updated with titles and captions, if you're so inclined to read them.

I am heading to Nice tomorrow and trying my luck at a hostel. They call it a "mixed room" which I think may mean boys and gals together. Eben, Jen, is that right? We'll see. Maybe I'll keep the emergency siren Lucy gave me with me ...

... I forced myself to do stay that long! I still hadn't picked up batteries for my 'exhausted' camera, so when I arrived I walked all around the downtown area. Actually, when I arrived I had to sit on a bench for 5 minutes figuring out where the town must be, because NOBODY was on the streets. So then I got to the harbor, and it's cute. And Gucci and Prada and Dolce and all their friends were right there ready to empty your bank account. But that was kind of it ...

... we turn misfortune to our advantage - literally! -by a simple swivel of the seat. Lunch is brought forward and consumed to envy and applause by fellow jammees!
We resume without further incident, and make the miles with time to spare for light aperos before evening meal.

... words the road I just walked to get to this hotel with my freaking backpack. Up, up, up, up and then to get to the hotel reception at the fancy castle, up a steep, steep, steep, long, long, long driveway. And then up another 3 flights of stairs to my room. You know how you watch basketball players on TV and think, "Surely it is impossible to actually drip sweat from your face like that." Apparently it is possible. U-F-F!

... in part to replenish their battered self-images and reaffirm their movie-star status. The Splendido Hotel overlooks Portofino's harbor, and is generally recognized as one of the finer hotels in all of Europe. Hemingway, Garbo, Gable, and Onassis are just some of the names that have graced the hotel's guest list. The instructions for a typical day in Portofino are simple. Start with a lazy stroll along the waterfront, followed by ...

... whatever you were looking for, i'll meet you up back here..." "Sound good to me, see you in a bit" 20 Minutes pass and I have just finished my Mohito, Mikey Returns!! There is plenty of food on my table, and just one mohito. For some reason the server started to give me food... hell, im not gonna say no to Food! "DUDE! Don't eat that! They make you pay for everything you eat! I was just in Portugal, those *******s made me pay for EVERYTHING!!" "Nah, Im sure its fine ...