October 15,16 &17, 2009

Bob’s Sabbatical

October 15, 16 & 17, 2009

 

Thursday, 10/15 – Cloudy, with drizzle and fog this
morning as we head for Manchester, stopping to mail over 4 kilos of books,
papers, etc. so we will not be overweight at airport tomorrow.  Quick return to Bishops to return room key,
and leave tip (oops).

            On drive
from York, past Leeds, it is clear that we are in a more industrialized part of
the country.  Then, between Leeds and
Manchester we were back in lovely mountains (passing on the “highest roadway in
England.”  Scenery included views of
large farms.  As we near Manchester,
roads get bigger (9 lanes) and busier – we’re not in the Lake District anymore,
especially with Costco, Staples and Ikea.

            Go to
small town to eat, fill car with gas. 
Get parking ticket (voucher was upside down on dashboard – 50 Pound fine
(25 if paid in 14 days).  I find City
Hall, offered to pay,  and was told I
would get an email, probably get off with a warning.  Nice town and area.  Leaves are turning and falling.  Wonder what Franklin looks like, with all the
rain?

 

Friday, 10/16 – board shuttle for quick trip to
Manchester Airport, for Flybe Airline trip to Milan.  Both the airport and the airline are very
nice.  Arrive Milano, and pick up car,
with steering wheel where it is supposed to be again!

            Area
around Milano is very flat, but as we near the coast, hills then mountains
appear (no wonder GPS says it will take so long to get to Portofino).  There are many tunnels, especially between
Genoa and Portofino, which means we do not get much of a look at the
Mediterranean.  Road to Portofino gets
narrower.  Sailboats, fishing boats
(street-side fish-markets), cruise ships, motorbikes and slow traffic.  Almost miss the hotel, trying to miss
oncoming traffic.  Great room, great view.  I take quick walk into town and back.

 

Saturday, 10/17 – Christopher’s 33^rd
Birthday!  How can that be????

            Wake to
beautiful day – sun streaming in windows. 
After breakfast (part of deal here!) we walk into town.  Arrive first at San Martino Church.   Like so many in Italy, it could be a
museum.  Painting, architecture,
sculpture abound.  We continue down to
the waterfront.  A ferry is arriving, looks
like hundreds of people on board.  After
a few minutes, we decide to walk up to Castello Brown, which we can see across
the bay from our room.  On the way we
arrive at the second of Portofino’s Churches, San Giorgio.  It is not as large or ornate as San Martino,
but behind it is the town graveyard. 
Many tombstones have pictures of the person on them.  George slaying the dragon is an ever-present
theme here.

            We buy
simple sandwiches in a little market, and eat at a bench on , but the
waterfront.  Walk back to the hotel and
go to the beach (rocky) while sun is still out. 
I only go in up to my ankles, but found more green lave-glass (like
years ago in Sicily) for Susan.

            We’ll go
back to town for dinner, then home so Susan cn try to watch some of the Gator
Homecoming game via computer connection.

 Peace,

    Bob