We left Florence on May 8 and continued by train to Follonica. The train ride took three hours. It was fast and very clean. From Follonica, there is a bus or taxi that goes to Punta Ala, our final destination for this leg of the trip. Our choice to go to Punta Alta was a taxi for 35 euro’s or 2.5 euro’s for a bus. Although we had to wait two hours for the bus, it was very comfortable and a short ride of 30 minutes. Punta Alta is in the Tuscany region but located on the Mediterranean coast (actually called the Ligurian Sea). After much difficulty and wandering aimlessly, due to an almost complete lack of signage, we came to our destination, Residencia I Borboli.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2-vTEUDyeU
Turns out this is a very exclusive residential area, with a huge marina filled with millions or more likely billions of dollars worth of yachts, sailboats and a few smaller vessels. It is off season now, a little early (probably why Judy was able to get the timeshare on a trade), their season starts in June. So not too many people and some restaurants still closed. A little market (things cost 4X what they do in Follonica) which is really about the size of a 7-11 store.4:30 or you are there for the night! On our way to catch the bus, we walked the block in a different direction. Looking at one of the closed stores, we saw what we thought was a bum. Hadn’t seen any bums since we had arrived in Italy, only a few beggers. But lo! It turned out to be David, Judy’s son! The night before he had a bad bicyle accident and was laying down in pain. He had just arrived in Follonica, and was waiting for a bus.
So after our reunion, we all waited for the bus to Punta Ala. It was a good thing because given the hard time we had at finding our place to stay, at least we could save David the search, and given that he was crippled and in pain from a bicycle accident in Heidelberg before he left yesterday, that was a good thing.
Early in the morning, May 4, 2010 the alarm rings and our day starts, a drive to Sacramento where it takes a map and a phone call to find the address of the person storing the car and driving us to the airport. Not a good start for a 6 week trip to Europe.
But everything is fine from there on, United Airlines is on time and arrives early at Dulles International Airport. The flight from Sacramento to Dulles Airport normally takes four hours and eleven minutes. We had a tail wind so we arrived a little early. A decent lunch and we await the next leg, Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Germany. So far it has been painless, as I read the paper and do Sudako, Judy has finished one book on the new Kindle. The next trip will be the grueling one, but an overnight trip, so we shall see.
The wait for our next flight is four hours. But somehow we end up at the wrong gate and miss the connection. Another one leaves an hour later and we arrive in Frankfort just an hour after our planned flight…however, the problem is our flight to Florence has left, and all flights are full until the next day.
So it is a night at a German Hotel by the airport, and a trip to downtown Frankfurt on the subway for the day of May 5, 2010. We find this fantastic shopping center called “My Zie” which has a glass tube going through it from the front to the top of the building. Very modern (and expensive inside) At the Food Mall there was every kind of food (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Italian) except German. So we went on the street for some German food. And the good news was we were able to change both out reservations in Florence and the Walking Tour of Florence and famous art galleries to the following days without added costs.
Myzie-Frankfurt
Arriving in Florence, it is raining. Luckily I had brought an umbrella, and Judy had a hood on her coat, and our room at Katti House were only a few blocks away. After lunch, we explored the town, (all within a 20 minute walk from our rooms. I recognized all the 14th century buildings and main historical sightseeing spots from my three months of playing “Assassin’s Creed II, a Play Station 3 video game!! Assassin’s Creed II is set in the 13th century with a very realistic recreation of the cities of Florence, Rome, Tuscany and some other minor towns. The historical buildings are in the game with a history of the time they were built and by whom.
We visited both the Galileo Science History Museum, and the Da Vinci Museum, to find tons of fascinating inventions and scientific findings, that were then somewhat lost through the dark ages to be rediscovered later.
On Friday we had three (3!) different Walking/Art Tours of Florence. The first walked us through the history of the city from Roman times, with a small walled city and tiny streets, through the Renaissance, with a second set of walls, further out, and then a third set making the town very large, to now where of course the city expands past all those walls, most of which were ripped down and re-used to build other buildings, churches, etc. We went inside the Beautiful Duomo, once the largest Church in Christendom, made entirely of white, green, and pink marble from Tuscany. Fantastic! You could see one side, recently cleaned and the other being restored with much soot and dirt on its outer walls. Luckily the current mayor of Florence has 4 weeks ago ordered all traffic diverted from the area, so hopefully the dirt build up won’t happen so fast. Much better for us pedestrians too!
Via Pietro Metastasio, Over looking the City of Florence
See Google Map below for location
The Uffizi courtyard was filled with famous originals (and some copies) from famous Renaissance sculptors. The Orsanmichele Church, in the 9th century was a market place, later turned into a church (with grain stored in the top two floors) because miracle started happening in front of a picture of the Madonna in the market! And Point Vecchio, the famous bridge in Florence, filled with gold sellers, and the crossing place for the “Prince’s passageway” the Vasari Corridor, allowing the ruling Medici family to go from the Pitti Palace ( their home) to the Uffizi (the center of government) without having to go out in public (including the smells), or be subjected to the dangers of open courtyards (the ever ready thief or assassin). We then toured the Uffizi itself ,packed full or famous artist’s works, and then to the Accademia, to view Michelangelo’s David, a truly amazing sculpture carved out of marble, with no models, working from the top – down to the feet.
Point Vecchio Bridge
By the way, I have a new Samsung camera which has GPS built in. That way, I get a map and location of where the pictures were taken. Kind of neat, since I’ve taken many pictures and wondered later where they were taken.
Hi to all of you who have been reading my blog. I’m leaving for Florence, Italy tomorrow. We fly out of here tomorrow from Sacramento, then to Dulles Airport. From Dallas we fly to Frankfurt Germany and from there to Florence. We plan a trip from the north of Italy to the most southern part. We’re also going to Heidelberg, Germany, were Judy’s son David has been working as a physicist for the last three years. Back in the States in six weeks.
So my blogs are going to be off and on, but I’ll be taking lots of pictures of our travels and I’ll post on this site.
In the meantime, here’s a really cute video of the true meaning of dog sledding.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcXX60tZZow
John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
General Contractor
Civil Engineer
Looking for property in Nevada County?
Sign up for free e-mail at JohnOdellRealty.com
Talk about trying to save money! A Brooklyn couple who are wealthy real estate investors, with seven bank accounts, including one which may have $2 million in it, canceled their health insurance. They pretended they were poor so they could qualify for Medicaid. They managed to rack up $59,000 in Medicaid benefits over a four year period.
According to the NYDaily.com
“Ariel Soudry, 31, and his wife, Joyce, 28, live in a million-dollar home and send their children to private school.
They have rental and condominium developments in Brooklyn and New Jersey, an Audi and a Mercedes – and a real bad attitude.
“Lowlifes – get a real job,” Ariel sniped at photographers as he was taken into court to be arraigned on charges that include grand larceny and welfare fraud.
Prosecutors say that while the Soudrys were living royally, they canceled their own health insurance and pretended they were poor so they could qualify for Medicaid.
While the duo was taking taxpayer money, they were buying and selling real estate firms and converting a Brighton Beach condo complex, authorities said.
“Their seven bank accounts swelled to six digits each,” Hynes said. “One even reached $2 million.”
Joyce Soudry wore a gray Boss scarf when she appeared in court with her hubby, who had on a $200 Robert Graham shirt embroidered with the slogan, “Knowledge, wisdom, truth.”
The Midwood couple faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Both were released without bail.
“We deny all charges,” said their lawyer Solomon Anter. “We can’t wait for the truth to come out.”
The weather is warming up, people are heading outside to exercise, and we’ve been told our entire lives to drink “plenty of water.” Not everyone realizes, however, that it’s possible to drink TOO much. How much is enough, and how much is too much?
You may remember back in January 2007, when Jennifer Strange, 28, a Sacramento-area mom of three, was found dead in her home of water intoxication. Jennifer had competed in a radio station’s “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest. The contest winner would be whoever drank the most water without going to the bathroom; the prize, a Nintendo Wii video game system. Jennifer wanted to win it for her kids.
“Holding it” against nature’s urging to get rid of it is intuitively a bad idea, and putting yourself in danger in order to gain some material thing is just foolish. The bulk of the blame lies with the radio station, however; station officials had been advised that someone had previously died of the same cause in a hazing incident, and they reportedly didn’t take Jennifer seriously when she complained of feeling ill. Still, this story should be a warning to everyone who might think that if drinking plenty of water is good for us, then there’s no such thing as “too much.”
Wrong.
We don’t know for sure how much Jennifer drank, but drinking too much can lead to water intoxication as well as hypothermia. Through perspiration during and after exertion, we lose both water and electrolytes; water intoxication and hypothermia result when a dehydrated person drinks too much water without the accompanying electrolytes.
We all learned about osmosis in school, yet perhaps we don’t all have a clear idea of what osmosis actually is. Osmosis is simply the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane from higher to lower concentration; both electrolytes and water move back and forth across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells, and water outside; cells try to regain balance by pulling in water, and could eventually swell to the point of bursting.
This is a simplified version of the events taking place in your body, but you don’t need a background in biochemistry to understand that burst cells cause serious bodily damage.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., describes the symptoms of water intoxication at About.com:
“Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, Which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days.”
If you or your workout buddy shows any of these symptoms—GET HELP.
Dr. Helmenstine says that the kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day. You probably won’t suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink it over time rather than an enormous volume at once. Much of our need for water is satisfied by the food we eat, so 8-12 eight-ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake.
We may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, or during exercise. While water intoxication is very uncommon, it is not unheard-of, so be careful. If you’re exercising a lot, especially in hot, dry conditions, drink enough water—but not too much. Be sure to replace your electrolytes by consuming essential elements like potassium and sodium, and to a lesser degree magnesium and calcium. Sports drinks and “vitamin water” drinks can help. And never enter any contests that involve drinking of any kind, water included!
Lisa J. Lehr is a writer, copywriter, and fitness enthusiast living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.
—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how. www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.
Affordable home prices and low interest rates have created an ideal time for many buyers to purchase homes, and now a new week-long look at homeownership confirms it. The national study, conducted for The Associated Press, shows that the difference between monthly rents and mortgage payments is at its lowest level in nearly 20 years.
MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS
The analysis of 45 metro areas found the difference between the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home and the median rent has declined to $256. In some areas, the difference is as low as $100, according to the study. The last time the price gap was that close was in 1993, when it decreased to $264.
The study, conducted by Marcus & Milichap Real Estate Investment Services, used median prices for the last three months of 2009 and calculated mortgage payments by assuming a 10-percent down payment and a 30-year fixed loan at 5.07 percent. It also assumed borrowers paid for private mortgage insurance and didn’t include repair costs and tax benefits.
Although the difference between monthly rent and monthly mortgage payments is at its lowest level in nearly 20 years, more stringent lending standards have made the home-buying process more challenging. Home buyers can prepare by ensuring their credit reports are up to date and saving for a down payment of at least 20 percent. Borrowers putting down less than 20 percent likely will have to purchase private mortgage insurance.
Owning a home has significant tax benefits, including deductions for property taxes and loan interest. Homeowners also can enjoy building equity and creating a means of forced savings as they pay down the principal on the home.
Although home buyers should not focus solely on future home price appreciation, according to data collected by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) over the last 40 years, homeowners who purchase a median-priced house, live in it for at least five years, and sell it at the then-current median price, have averaged an annual rate of return of more than 11 percent.
Community Encouraged to Nominate Nevada County Families
The Nevada County Fairgrounds is seeking nominations for the 2010 Fair Family of the Year. Each year a family is recognized at the Nevada County Fair, and this year the Fairgrounds is asking the community for its help in nominating a family for this special award.
To be considered, the Fair team is looking for a family who is very involved with the Fair, either through exhibiting or volunteering, and passionate about the Fair. Families chosen in previous years were recognized for their commitment to, and involvement with, the Nevada County Fair and the community.
If you’d like to nominate a family, please submit a one page summary of why you think the family of your choice deserves recognition as the 2010 Fair Family of the Year. The family chosen will be honored at opening ceremonies of the Nevada County Fair, and will also receive daily admission to the Fair, a season parking pass, ride coupons, and a family portrait from Schaffers Originals of Grass Valley.
Here’s one for the books on how to get ripped off. This guy was even on A&E Flip This House! Moral of this story, be careful who you deal with. Sam Liccima was promising a return on investment of 16% and the actual return on investment turned out to be – zero percent.
Part One
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aG5G38GzhU
Part Two
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM8pXjLyGtE
John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
Looking for property in Nevada County? Click Here
Sales of new homes soared in March, breaking a 4-month losing streak, according to a government report released Friday, as buyers snatched up properties ahead of the tax credit expiration.
New-home sales rose 26.9% to a seasonally adjusted rate of 411,000 last month, compared to a upwardly revised annual rate of 324,000 in February, the Census Bureau said.
A consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com expected February sales to rise to an annual rate of 330,000.
