Friday the 19th

Today was another fabulous day. Started with peach jam filled croissants. Hard to beat that!  Well, unless you go to the Ferrari Museum next. All I have for you today is car pics. After the museum in Maranello, I drove back to Venice. It was quite foggy today. Not enough to slow traffic, but enough that I couldn't see much scenery. Very thankful to be staying in a hotel again tonight. Had a lightning storm and the accompanying rain was incredible!  I was driving on the autostrada when it started. I rarely use my fast speed wipers but I did tonight! Slowed way down because of standing water on the road. I had to duck into IKEA in Padova to wait out the storm. So sad. I got my meatballs and mashed potatoes after all. And oh the dessert!  

A couple of observations...all the painted houses are on the color wheel between yellow and red. I saw one green house today and the only other green, blue, or purple houses were on Burano island. I think I posted a pic of those last week. 

Observation number two: God has been driving my car.  How do I know? Because I'm never lost for too long, and I always find my way wherever I'm going. Tonight is the perfect example. When I first found my hotel it was by accident ;) so I didn't turn into the parking lot directly because I was in the wrong lane. So I kept driving until I could safely turn around. Then tonight coming back from the lightning show and dinner, I was a little nervous about finding the hotel again. I kept following the signs for the town hoping something would start to look familiar. I then came to the place where I turned around earlier and I knew exactly where I was. This isn't the first time either. It happens every day!  Going to Rome tomorrow, and I'm praying that this will continue. Thank you!

Observation number three: I really like having a limited wardrobe. Sure makes getting dressed and washing clothes easy. 

Observation number four: Ferrari makes a car with a back seat. So you can drive with your spouse and 2 children at 150 mph on the autobahn. Hehe

Ok now for the pictures you've all been waiting for... If you don't scroll through the pics that's ok, but you need to at least look at this one... Do you see the fox face?

A little odd looking, but very aerodynamic. 

Kinda looks like a fancy camp chair in that aerodynamic car. 

A limited edition and one of the most expensive models made. The Shah of Iran bought two. Peter Sellers also had one. 

Two favs were out in the parking lot of the museum. 

And just in case you were curios about flying abilities...

The center button says "launch". 

Off to Rome in the morning. Staying in Gaeta at an Airbnb room. Pompeii on Sunday. Home on Monday late. Two more amazing days to come. Wahoo!

Thursday Sept 18th

Hitting the road again. I realized the true reason I need someone to come with me...so we can take turns driving and gawking at the amazing scenery!

Mosquito in the car...eating my ankles!  Oh good, just went near the window, so I let it out. Whew!

Went to Cinque Terre today. An amazing group of little fishing villages turned tourist attraction. I missed the turnoff for the southernmost town and didn't want to go back. So instead of seeing it by train I drove it. More switchbacks, and even skinnier roads if that is possible. Boy was I ready for the autostrada by the time I got to the northernmost town. My favorite little sign of the day was found in a cafe in Vernazza. 

"We don't serve eggs. Don't ask. This is Italy eat our food."  I don't have a problem with eating cream filled croissants today. I'll take two please. :). So here is the little town. 

Yep, that's about it except for tourist shops and the train station. But very picturesque. More photos from Cinque Terre...

 

Then I got on the autostrada. The speed limit is 110, but I was the only one going 110. The first car that passed me made it seem like I was holding still. Keep in mind that is kilometers per hour. Anyway, in a later conversation with an Italian man, when asked about why Italians drive the way they do, he said, yes you can go 130, but if you have a fast car, why not use it? I was laughing!

I got to Modena in time to visit Enzo Ferrari's house which has been turned into a museum. It is the 100 year anniversary of Maserati this year and so there are cars and drivers from all over the world here for the event. There were four or five cars from China. I was a little surprised by that. So, pics from the museum. 

The Maserati collection...

The Ferrari collection of old racers...

This one has two engines, one in front and one in back of the driver. WOW

I'm going to Maranello tomorrow, so more Ferraris tomorrow!  Wahoo!!