WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4 2018

There are a lot of other pictures to come, from Pisa where I took dozens, and from the rest of our trip where I took hundreds.  I hope to continue my story once we have suffered the upgrade.  Hopefully we will all survive it, and will be able to cope with the changes!

Morning all:  First off: Welcome Home Heather (days were perhaps "too quiet?") and Happy Birthday to you and Clare (great news about the ravens). Thanks to Diane for keeping track of "upgrade anniversaries."

Lindybird: Italy is full of "very old indeed" buildings (as is much of the world), so no wonder that's all the description you got.  Looks like it was a church at one point.  Not surprising lots of industry around the port but glad you got through to the pretty part soon enough.  I haven't been to that part of Italy; look forward to more pix after the upgrade. 

ANNETTE- I was a little bored! Most of the time they were following their own routine, gardening, ironing, housework etc. On previous visits I've been sailing with them but their boat is now out of the water for Winter. You asked about Danish pastries. They are called Wienerbrod in Denmark because apparently they originated in Vienna!  

Hi, let's hope the site is not down for too long and we can cope with any changes! I have been looking in and have been admiring the photos from Annette, aquilareen and Linda. Also sorry to read of OG's and J's health problems, I hope they are resolved soon.

Heather: Interesting about Wienerbrod because yesterday I was listening to an interview with a Filipino restaurant owner who was saying that so-called native cuisine often includes dishes/ingredients etc that long-ago immigrants brought to that country. We have Belgian waffles, French toast, French fries, etc, etc....   Now I'm wondering if the All-American Hamburger is really all-American!  :-)

Erm...... Annette, I don't think you're looking at the right picture or something. The very old wall is on the right in the 2nd picture, and it was indeed, just a wall. The guide did mention some past century or other but my memory can't cope with too many facts at once, just remembered that he said the area had been a place of worship in ancient times, so the town had protected it with walls.

Then the buildings in my pictures were built in, um, according to my guide to Italy, around 1173 for the tower (more about that later, as it was added to) and the Cathedral was begun in 1064. The Baptistry (the round building) was built in 1152 but had a break in the building of it due to a shortage of money: it is   what you might think:  a place for baptisms and confirmations, although why they didn't use the Cathedral for those I don't know.

Heather - Sorry if your trip was disappointing. It's still refreshing to go away to pastures new.

Somewhat of a relief about the USA election results, and not just in the USA. Will say no more!

Linda's cruise is reminding me of the two I have been on, quite a few years ago now, both in the Western Med. At Villefranche I went on the trip to Nice and the hill village of Eze, very picturesque. My parents who I was with did not go as they had been before. We did not go to Piza, but went to Florence which was lovely, very busy though.  We also went to Rome, too much to see there in one short day! It is a good way of getting a taster of several places, with out the transport worries.

Lindybird: This was the first batch you posted (in fact the first two shots of the first batch), taken I think from the bus to Pisa. Whatever that building is, it has a roof too and some round bits that look like they belong in a church.  :-)

ChrisyB: Good to see you.

I'm also wondering how OG et al are doing today...