6/7/14. The post where we have an extremely interesting first day of vacation.

6/7/14: slight delay in the takeoff of our flight to Milan, but an easy, uneventful trip.  As expected, they kept us very busy on the flight.  Drinks, then dinner, then more drinks, lots of movie and TV show options, a few hours of enforced quiet time, then breakfast and landing.  For awhile after dinner, my foot got very red and angry, but I was happy to learn that a little sleep did wonders, even when it was in an airplane seat. 

We flew over Mont Blanc and the French Alps this morning, which was incredible.  The Milan airport was lovely - not too large or crowded, a new terminal, and an easy customs process.  We picked up our rental car and headed south.  Our rental vehicle was a Fiat 500.  In theory, the same car my patient, long-suffering husband drives at home.  The difference?  His has a Mopar engine.  Our rental car has a go-kart engine.  Say what you will about Detroit, but they can make cars that move forward when you press the gas pedal.

We had a beautiful drive through the mountains and then along the Ligurian/Mediteranean coast.  We stopped for lunch along the way at a truck stop on the toll road.  Here is a truck stop lunch in Italy:

Buon appetito!

Made our way to a village on the French Riveria, picked up the keys, and headed to the apartment we are renting.  Here's our view for the next week:

A quick shower and change of clothes and we were ready for dinner.  We had a wonderful meal at an outdoor restaurant with views of the entire village and the sea.  The weather was perfect and the people watching was just as good.  What a way to start a vacation!  Can it get any better than this?

We went back to the apartment to get a good night's sleep so we could do some real exploring tomorrow.  I had another small flare-up before dinner, but things calmed down and I feel up to a good walk tomorrow.  I got ready for bed as my patient, long-suffering husband took one last walk out into the garden to look at the sea in the moonlight.  Suddenly, I heard a thundering crash, followed by, "I'm okay. I'm bleeding a little, but I'm okay."  I ran out to the patio to find that he had walked straight into the closed glass patio door.  Being awake for nearly two days straight plus dark, unfamiliar surroundings is not a good combination. He was standing in the middle of a sea of broken glass with blood running from his nose and hand.  We got him inside and cleaned up, and it didn't appear that he needed any more serious medical attention than I could give him with my first-aid kit.  (Suddenly my overly prepared packing regimen looks like a feature and not a bug.)

Finally, we went to bed and he fell fast asleep.  That's going to sting in the morning.  I began writing this blog when suddenly there was another thundering crash.  But this time, it was good news.  Fireworks in the cove!  I ran to the second patio door (the one that was still fully intact) and watched the show.  It was short but spectacular, and I had one of the best seats in the house.

What a day. Or rather, two days.  We'll call the real estate agent in the morning about repairing the glass and then head out to see the town in the full light of day. Hope tomorrow is a little less exciting than today was.