Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.
Next up is Brindisi and Lecce Italy. Our boat docked in Brindisi which is a commercial town. This turned out to be a very full day. I told the boyfriend I wanted to go on the free chef's tour so I started with that. Then the
boyfriend and I planned on meeting at the train station at around noon to catch the 30 minute train to Lecce
which is a medieval walled city. The afternoon would be tight because of 30 minutes on train, several hours
to walk around Lecce and then 30 minutes train back to Brindisi then 30 minutes to walk to the ship and hopefully not miss the ship. Brindisi and Lecce are on the heel of the boot of Italy.
Our chef was able to buy local items to supplement our meals on the ship. The chef tour was a free excursion
in Brindisi.
Our head chef in fish market.
Brandy and fishmonger.
Head chef in local bakery.
Bakery items going back to the ship. (Not for Brandy)
Very famous watermelons in Brindisi. The chef could not buy any because he had stock from Carnival.
Chef in product market.
The chef's tour wrapped up and I met the boyfriend near the train station
Across from the train station was a wonderful market that had an end cap of gluten free products.
I was able to pickup some GF crackers, a banana, and some nuts for the train ride and lunch.
The boyfriend enjoyed gelato.
Off on the train to Lecce.
These are great Brandy! It is nice to see you. You and I started our LC journey together. I think we were diagnosed the same month and we showed up here a couple of weeks from each other.
Thanks for sharing your trip pictures. You do make it look easy to travel. 🛳
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
This gent was the most important guy on the ship. Every evening I met with the Maitre D
to discuss the dinner for the following night and make selections for the following night.
This worked out well as I did not have to go through the tableside extensive discussions
of food sensitivities with new servers and new tablemates. Usually my dinner was a variation
of what everyone else on the ship was having.
brandy wrote:This gent was the most important guy on the ship. Every evening I met with the Maitre D
to discuss the dinner for the following night and make selections for the following night.
This worked out well as I did not have to go through the tableside extensive discussions
of food sensitivities with new servers and new tablemates. Usually my dinner was a variation
of what everyone else on the ship was having.
WoW! How cool is that. So great that they accommodated your diet in that manner!
All the pics are great, Brandy. A lot of us are traveling vicariously through you on this trip!!
Hi Tommy,
I'm glad you are enjoying the travels and there is more to come on Venice. We got off the ship in Venice and I booked
us for two nights in a hotel in Venice. I was very nervous about eating in Venice but the boyfriend has never been anywhere
so I thought I could work make things work.
Marcia
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
What wonderful pictures - it looks like you and your boyfriend had an amazing vacation!!! I've often wondered if I would be able to travel overseas someday - Thank-you for posting!!!
Marcia and Jean, I'm glad you are enjoying the photos! Pam I would say no problem with dining in Greece or Italy. About 80% of
items on menu are gluten free anyways (naturally). There is a huge emphasis in fresh not processed foods. It is easier for me to eat in a restaurant in Greece or Italy than in the southeast US.
My original inclination was to just fly back directly from the ship but I wanted the boyfriend to see Venice so I booked our flights to allow for 2 days/nights in Venice. My second inclination was to rent an apartment/air bnb
and I looked at a lot on line but thought for 2 days it might be easier just to get a hotel and do the restaurant thing.
I had stayed in Venice pre MC, pre 2010 and on that trip my sister booked met into a Rick Steves recommended hotel. My room in the Rick STeves recommended hotel was small. It had a twin bed and was slightly larger than the twin bed. My sister visited (she lived in Vicenza about 20 miles away), saw my room, and said I think we can get you a better room. We walked across the street from the Rick Steves recommended hotel and inquired and checked out rooms there. Rooms were about 8 times bigger for about $20.00 more per nightThat is how I found the Ca Pisani hotel. I booked there. I would call it a mid price hotel for Venice. The Ca Pisani is not on the water so rates are cheaper.
I emailed the hotel several weeks out to see if the hotel could supply gluten free bread at complimentary breakfast. The went above and beyond for me! Check out the the two baskets.
.jpg){kind=avatar}
