How to Walk in Chicago in the Wintertime

Chicago is no ordinary city in the wintertime. Between it being considered “the Windy City,“ it also can reach frigid real time temperatures, as well as “feels like” temperatures. For instance, the temperature may be 32°, but on the weather app, with noted 20 to 30 mph wind gusts, it could feel like 15°. In January and February, it’s rarely above freezing. But you don't want to miss out on the sights, smells, noises and the force of that wind by taking and Uber or a cab, so take a walk in Chicago in the wintertime.

6:52 am, December 7, 2024 4:28 am, December 7, 2024

It’s worth it to walk, to be able to slow down and experience Chicago with more of your senses than just sights. Enjoy viewing the fantastic, diverse architecture up close, observe the people and their hats, coats and shoes. Feel the brisk wind, smell the garlic and ganja, and hear the sounds of drummers, loud cars, and people chattering with each other or on the phone in many different languages and accents.

Here is a short instructional walking guide document for those that may be visiting Chicago, or have just recently moved here over the summer when the weather is mild and beautiful.

Shoes

First and foremost, wear comfortable shoes! You can find fashionable, good-looking shoes that are comfortable if you wish to walk more than a mile. In the wintertime, this may require a little more thought, as Birkenstock sandals won’t cut the cold. If you’re going for a recreational walk, it’s best to wear some form of athletic shoes. However, many tennis shoes are web–based or made out of fabric, and the cold air seeps right through that fabric. So, wear exercise shoes that are leather, or more tightly woven material to protect from the cold air. My favorites are Hoka, New Balance and Sketchers. 

Wool socks will provide much more protection as well. Other advice would be to wear ankle or knee socks, rather than crop socks.

Boots are appropriate, depending on how long of a walk you’ll be taking, their comfort, and the heel height, but in downtown Chicago, comfortable shoes are the key. Just to make sure I’m clear, you will also not want to wear stiletto heels, or any pumps that may either be uncomfortable, or wedge into a crack on the sidewalk.

Great hat and shoes!

Timing

The sun sets early in Chicago, so head out earlyish (10 am) to mid-afternoon (2 pm) to not need to walk around in the dark, when it becomes colder. On December 7, 2024 the sunset time is at 4:18 p.m., rather early for me, and if and once the sun goes down, temperatures will reduce even more, so be sure you are dressed warmly enough for evening weather. After the winter solstice (December 21), the day begins to lengthen, with sunset around 5 pm by the end of January, and 5:44 pm by February 28 (or 29).

The shadows cast by the tall buildings eliminate sunshine in many spaces, also brought on by the sun in the southern sky during winter. The sun rises at about 7:30 am in December, so you have about 9 hours to tour the city during daylight hours. With stores and museums not opening until about 10 am, you can explore coffee shops, breakfast nooks, and storefronts before they open if you like to get out early. The sun is also rising earlier at the same rate, so by the end of February, you have 11 ½ hours of daylight, that is, if it’s not cloudy, rainy or snowy.

Wind and rain advice

Chili is a mild word for what it feels like to encounter a cold and windy day in Chicago. I will admit that I have not faced under 18° yet. But that 18° day was a “feels like 10 degrees day” and it was more than chill, it was ice cold! Cover all of your skin, including your head with a hat, your neck with a scarf, a windproof jacket, warm socks and non-porous shoes.

If it happens to be raining, be prepared with a sturdy umbrella that will either withstand being turned inside out by the wind and go back to regular function, or not flip. If you experience such wind, which has happened to me as I walked to a dentist appointment, turn the umbrella around to face the oncoming wind and it will flip. Hold the umbrella pointed towards the wind if possible, protecting your body and head. Wear waterproof pants and a jacket, with galoshes or rain boots, which come in very handy, especially if they are comfortable. My favorite brand, and actually the only brand I’ve tried is Chooka.

Clothing

When it’s cold outside, you will want every part of your visible body covered, with 32 degree leg warmers and shirt as your first layer (after under’s). Whatever you have over that doesn’t matter as much as the outer layers. If you have a long coat, the top part of your legs will be covered. If not, a short coat will do as long as you have leg warmers and jeans, corduroy or other winter weather fabric. 

The Outer Layers

Besides comfortable shoes, to walk in Chicago in the winter, the outer layers are the most important! A down-filled jacket is my recommendation, and I’ve had a short jacket by Eddie Bauer for many years, and another full length jacket by Bernardo. Then, a hat to warm your head and keep your ears warm is imperative. If you only have a cheap woven beanie or a baseball cap, it’s better than nothing, especially if you have on a hoodie under your coat. I have a puffy, eastern European looking London Fog hat that covers the back of my head to my eyebrows and is snug and warm. You’ll find a wide variety of hats on Etsy, ebay or Amazon.

 I was warmed up by a fuzzy white gorilla in downtown Chicago!

Gloves are best when made out of tightly woven yarn of wool preferably, but leather, suede, and fabricated material work when nicely lined with satin or other fabric. A scarf can be used to cover your mouth and face because it's rare that it's not windy in Chicago. Or, wear a cowl-necked shirt and pull it up over your mouth. Many coats have collars that can be brought up to cover the face as well. If it's sunny, and maybe even it it's not, sunglasses will protect your eyes from cold air while walking the streets of Chicago.

Indoor outdoor advice

Oh, it may be 20° outside, but the majority of locations you will enter after walking in Chicago in the winter will be warm, and almost to the point of being hot at times. And if you’ve walked for a quarter to half mile or more, you’re going to be warm already. My advice is to wear layers. And if your coat is warm enough, made with down and waterproof/windbreaker material, even if you are dressed lighter underneath with just the 32 Degree shirt and an overshirt, you’ll be warm enough. Take off your hat first, to cool from the top, then gloves and scarf and put them in your bag (see below), then carry your jacket or place it under your backpack or bag straps. 

OTHER Year-round walking advice that applies to winter too!

Bring a bag or backpack

So many things to buy in Chicago! Whether it is a trinket from the Art Institute of Chicago or the Field Museum, a fun t-shirt, leftover pizza or deli sandwich, or pamphlets from the incredible downtown Harold Washington Library or Chicago Cultural Center, being able to place them into a bag will uncomplicate the things you pick up. It’s also good for storing gloves, hats and a water bottle or snack. I learned the hard way because I stored a pair of gloves in my unzipped coat pocket, and after the jostling of pulling off the coat and putting it back on while inside, I lost my gloves. 

 Chicago Cultural Center - Warm, with light thru Tiffany!

Traffic signal advice

Chicago has a very organized system of welcoming and making pedestrians safe. Crosswalk signals are developed so that they display the time available to walk before the light turns red, and a person walking flashed underneath the traffic signal. The countdown can be anywhere from 30 to 15 seconds, depending on how wide the crossing is. After the light is green and the walking icon appears, you will see a countdown in the place of the icon. For longer distances (4-5 lanes), numbers will start at 30 seconds, for shorter distances, it may start at 15 seconds (2-3 lanes). 

The system is very helpful to me, as when I am walking and if I see the walking icon, and I know that it is a shorter distance to cross, I can speed up my walk to cross before the countdown ends. If it is already in the countdown stage, and I have less than 10 seconds, I typically stop.

Awareness Advice

Be aware at all times, and say something if you see something (Chicago OEMC) while walking in Chicago. No, Chicago is not the most dangerous city to walk in the country, but yes, crime occurs occasionally and there is the remote possibility that you might be involved. But do you avoid driving in case you encounter a person driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and there is the possibility that they have an accident with you? Do you not purchase food at a restaurant for fear that you may suffer from food poisoning? If so, I would still recommend that you go walk around in Chicago, for the chances of any of the above happening are so slim that it’s not worth missing out on the joy of walking the Chicago streets. 

 Up-close architecture details are beautiful!

Aroma Awareness

In the summertime, there are many more people about, and many more food vendors luring you in with the scent of hot dogs, popcorn, tacos and pizza. In the winter you might pass by a restaurant cooking with extreme garlic or smell the exhaust of a non-inspected vehicle, but won’t have the flavorful aromas of the summer. Year-round, however, you will encounter the smell of marijuana (ganja). It is legal to sell and consume in Illinois, and I have encountered its scent while walking in every month. No worries though, you can’t get high by smelling it, and it won’t show up on your work drug test if your employer regularly screens for it. 

And that sums up my tutorial for Walking In the Winter in Chicago. Please comment if you have anything to add, or even if you disagree with anything I wrote. Keep warm and comfortable!

RE-Purpose the Purpose of the Thing

 

In the 1970's, my sister Jennifer was proud to report to me and other members of my family that TONE body soap* also worked well as a shampoo. Over the years, I've adopted her philosophy of re-purposing items as needed, and she continues to do so today.

There are so many re-purpose tactics that I could address, but a few favorites are using a pencil for a hair clip for long hair, paper towel tubes for cord containers, using fuzzy socks to clean blinds, and using the top of a plastic milk carton as a scoop, as well as basic repurposing of containers for things other than what they were created for, once the original contents are gone. 

My husband and I travel a great deal (at least two weeks a month), so I am consistently packing and unpacking, and have become quite good at not checking a list when I load a suitcase with what I need. This trip, unfortunately, I was a bit rushed, and didn't think through all of my needs and usual routines.

Today, when I washed my hair, I used a bit of the hair conditioner in the little bottle for my hair gel, and diluted and used some of my husband's deodorant, as I forgot mine. Then, when I went to dress, I realized that I had forgotten to pack a belt, and need one as the pants that I planned to wear become a bit baggy as the day wears on. 

When I discovered that I did not have a belt, I had to think creatively. Do I have a string or rope in my bag? Could I wear one of my husband's belts? Could I remove a strap from a piece of luggage? Then, my eyes fell on my iWatch charger. Sturdy, with the ability to tie a knot in the USB end and feed the charger end into the loop, it worked! The shirt I planned to wear is an outside the pants shirt, tucked in in the photo to show the charger at work.

As previously noted, there are many re-purpose ideas to pursue when you are in a bind, and even when you are not. Had I noticed before my shower that I did not have deodorant or hair gel, I could have easily gone down to the hotel office and procured what I needed, but it was fun to re-purpose! The belt ... I need a new one and will find a department store to purchase one tomorrow.

Here's to re-purposing!

*The wonderful cocoa butter soap that promoted its cleansing ability without drying the skin is no longer produced as a bar, but if you want to find it on Amazon, the price is $269 for six bars!

Good thing I wasn't dying ...

The American Health Care System is a mess. Note how I called it a system, when all it should be is a way to call a doctor, make an appointment, pay a copay, be seen in person, tests and medications prescribed for possibly more than one condition, you are billed for anything over the limit, and you live your life.

In the first few months of the year, I had been trying to make an appointment with a doctor through Blue Cross-Blue Shield. I've renamed them BIG CORPORATE BULL SHIT (BCBS).

First, I was assigned on my insurance card for my Primary Care Physician (PCP), a pediatric dentist! Yes, printed on my insurance card, and they have my birthdate in the 1960's, so I would not likely have a child that needed that unless I became pregnant in my 50's!

I called the office and they assured me that the card was not printed wrong, and that no, they could not see me for an annual check up. When I went to the Find a Doctor website for BCBS, to change my PCP, the nasty mess started. ON THE PCP page, stating that these professionals were PCPs, I found when I called the numbers listed: one pediatrician, one orthopedic surgeon, two emergency services practices, and at least 2 or 3 offices that were no longer in service. I tried one physician,at least 4 times and left a message, and spoke with two individuals to make an appointment, but it was never confirmed.  

When I became frustrated that I might not be able to see a doctor before the prescription I take for my occasional racing heart ran out, I decided to wean myself off of the medicine by living a more healthy lifestyle. With the exception of the elimination of stress from my job and adding in more sleep to my busy lifestyle, I was able to increase exercise, limit bad fats, sugars and too much salt, and weaned off it with no side effects. I gave up on seeing a doctor with the insurance.

In April, I decided to try again. What a waste! A couple of offices were closed at lunch (12:30-1:30) when I have the time to call, and even after the official lunch hour was over, they were still closed and would not take a message for new patients. I tried 3 or 4 offices (no answer, ER doc and Orthopod). I finally found a medical group and they do not even have an office opened in the city where I live yet, but said that I could have a virtual appointment and they could request the lab work. What BS! The doctor's office said I needed to give them a reference # before could make the appointment. I called BCBS and they needed the exact name of the physician which I did not write down because I could not understand the speaker, so I had to call the group again for the name. Then, BCBS made me change the PCP before I could see another doctor, when it was their mistake in the first place. I eventually had the virtual appointment in which the doctor did not even turn on the camera, got the lab tests, and had another virtual appointment. 

With my previous insurance plan, the doctor group I signed up with, Methodist, said that I had to see each specialist separately for everything. My PCP could not do a pap smear or prescribe a mammogram or a brain MRI. 

And that is where the problem starts for individuals that do not see the bigger picture of overall care where a single doctor, a PCP, manages all the testing and drugs that a person is prescribed to prevent drug interactions, over-testing, and treatments. This seems to be the most effective, so why all the specialization? So that people can be prescribed more drugs to support Big Pharma?

We must manage our healthcare ourselves, which is a good thing, as far as we know. Not many people, unfortunately, are willing to dig deep and figure out, with our non-medical school knowledge, what is best for us overall. Sometimes, symptoms that we want to ignore are warnings of illness that we cannot diagnose. So, if you can, see an internist or general practice physician and have lab tests run annually to check out your prognosis, and be able to call him or her when you feel ill or something unusual is going on.

The good news now for me is that we now have an insurance plan in which we can choose our own doctor and be reimbursed for the visit. While it doesn't pay all that well, it eliminates the frustration of trying to even "get in" to the system to see a doctor. I'm actually glad that the disconnect with BCBS happened because I am a much healthier person now, having lost about 15 pounds, on no prescription drugs, exercising regularly and eating much more healthy food. 

Look Up

There’s so much to see when you look up, and there are good reasons too!

Often you’re looking up when you open your eyes in the morning and the first thing you see is the ceiling fan, the tops of the drapes, artwork you might have on the wall, and sometimes, unfortunately, cobwebs. But never mind about the beautifully crafted silken expression, this is to be an uplifting, positive perspective on looking up.

As I watched a movie earlier today, a wise art instructor told the student in the movie that to improve her artwork, she was to look up. I pondered that thought this afternoon. 

As I walked outside this evening, I looked up and saw a flock of pelicans, or some other grand, gray bird, seven of them, soaring, in a beautiful arrow shape towards the ocean. Joining them in the sky was a random group of black birds with no direct pattern of flight. They may have even been lower and not joining the great birds, but from my perspective appeared that they were. The differences between the two were stark: organized, and not organized; pale gray, and dark black; gliding on the currents of the air, and flapping their wings. It was quite a lovely sight.

Clouds are amazing to see as one looks up as well. Another beautiful site I saw tonight was a cluster of clouds that almost looked like the hand of God, holding the suffused son in the background. It might’ve been a reach, but as an artist, I could see it.

When we look up, it’s better for our necks that tend to look down at a computer, a phone, a book, or a keyboard most, or much of the day. Looking up raises the face so that if you’re walking along, your eyes can greet the person that you pass, and offer a smile.

Up is a positive word! It can mean rising from a less fair place, moving up on charted territory indicating success, watching the joy of balloons, steam, or a sports ball rise into the air. 

So for a bit of positive advice for the day ahead, or the day tomorrow, look up!

Walking Hair Pieces

*

Is there an unusual item that you have seen more than others that has caught your attention lately? Well for me, I have been seeing a lot more hair pieces - barrettes, hairbands, and bobby pins on the ground as I walk in my neighborhood. Today, I came across the best, hair rollers.

    Those hair rollers were not just in someone’s driveway, having fallen out of a bag in which they were carrying them back into the house after spending the night with a friend. They were not outside a beauty salon, where they might have fallen out of a wastebasket as an employee was taking out the trash, nor were they in the parking garage where I live, where I could see a roller or two falling out of my car after wearing them to work in the morning and tossing them on the passenger seat, missing, and lying close to the door.

    Two, green, fuzzy rollers appeared on my walk, just outside the entrance of the Dillards store at the mall across the street from my condominium. 

    Here are a few stories, as to how they might have arrived there. 

    Possibly, a child had a head full of rollers when going to the store, for she had a birthday party after her mother purchased a gift, and when she began to scratch her head where the roller was itching her, she pulled out the rollers and watched them fall. Her mother was holding her other hand,  so she left them at the curb, too preoccupied with their freedom from her head and the relief she felt to pull away from mom and pick them up. 

    Scenario two: a tall, well-dressed woman wearing a beautiful scarf over her rollered head, running into Dillards to pick up the latest Estée Lauder special with the effective eye cream before her youngest daughter's bridal shower in a couple of hours, knocks off the two rollers on the shorter layers on the side of her head with her phone when it rings and she answers it, and since she is in a hurry, she foolishly thinks she will pick them up on the way out, but, of course, forgets as she rushes back to the car after her makeup purchase.

    The last scenario is that the green, fuzzy rollers were a marker to show where a glamorous model was to stand for a photo shoot taken that afternoon when the light was just right. An advertising video was taking place and the photographer had nothing bright, but small to mark the spot where the model was to walk and turn to face the camera with a fling of her hair and a smile. When the photographer looked up from her bag during her search for the marker, she saw the model's assistant taking out the rollers from the model's hair and asked if she could use them. The assistant agreed, and at the end of the shoot, they promptly forgot the rollers.

    Maybe I'll see a brush on my next walk.

Every person, and every thing, has a story to tell, or be told about it. 

*I regret that I did not take a photo of the green, fuzzy curlers, but my electric rollers will suffice!

Four in Italy

The four of us our first night, in Verona

 Four in Italy

Thank you, Mom. You gave us an Italian experience that awoke our senses, especially that of taste, for a lovely week in the city of mine and my sister Jennifer’s birthplace, and part of my sister Melanie’s upbringing. We have talked about an Italian trip for years, and it seems that with a bright flash of light, the dates were decided, the travel agents* called, and within a week, we had tickets for four to Italy. 

With the wise influence of my well-traveled in Italy sister Melanie, we rented an Air BnB that Jenny found, a few blocks off the main square of Vicenza. It was immediately across the street from the Teatro Olympico,** completed in 1585. The views from the three bedrooms on the eastern side overlooked the mountains to the north, a large church steeple of Santa Maria in Araceli embraced by pink clouds of sunrise each morning, and to the south was the river crossed over by a 6-way roundabout intersection that directed commerce to and fro in the city. 

View on from my bedroom deck, the first night, looking northeast.

The location was perfect, with a grocery at the bottom of our building, restaurants within steps, and the lovely views from the tiny porches outside two bedrooms. A five minute walk took us past shops, museums and beautiful Italian architecture to the lovely Parco Querini with a fluffle of beautiful bunnies, the tiny island bound palladium on a small manmade lake with handsome mallards. In the other direction from our home for the week was the Piazza dei Signori, flanked by incredible palaces and the Basilica Palladini, named after the city's architect. 

TThe palladium on the tiny island in Parco Querini, where the bunnies and Mallards live.

Our apartment was spacious and the windows on the north side flooded the space with light. The kitchen was the meeting spot where we spent most of our time when not out exploring. A big table provided a spacious area for us to enjoy breakfasts of fresh bread picked up on Mel's morning run, coffee brewed in tiny percolators on the stove, tasty fruit and nuts every day. The rooms had theme's, with Bogart in Mel's room, Picasso in Mom's, Bob Marley in mine, Freida in Jenny's, Rock 'n' Roll posters in the kitchen, and Audrey Hepburn in the bathroom.

 . 

L. Daytime view of the mountains to the north from our apartment, C. The kitchen, R. Happy hour 

Every evening, we celebrated a day of saturation in the arts, food and architecture of Italian culture with a happy hour of Italian beer, wine, and Limoncello, paired with delicious crostini, crackers, cheese, chocolate and other amazing treats. We became accustomed to the late dinners enjoyed by Italians, for the more well-respected restaurants didn't open until 7:30 p.m.

Dinner in Italy met our expectations every night, from incredible salads with local olive oil, to the best gnocchi ever for me. The plates I enjoyed were clam linguini at a first class Oyster Bar just down the street from our Air BnB, tasty vegetarian pizza at Vesuvius Pizza off the Piazza, a delightful kebap bowl from across the river which we took To Go and ate in our kitchen, lasagna and fresh veggies on the square, fantastic shrimp risotto at the hotel on our last night in Verona, and the aforementioned Gnocchi in Verona and Vicenza. 

L. Complimentary first course before the clam linguini, C. Clam linguini, R. Vicenza Gnocchi 

We landed in Verona, explored the outside of the first century coliseum and the city square that evening and ate at an historic wine restaurant with a reservation made by our Air BnB host, Guiseppe. Once we took the train to Vicenza, we spent most of our days along the streets of the city, pursuing markets on the piazza, shopping, dining, and visiting several churches and four eye-opening museums. We took a day trip to Venice. My daughter Rachel and husband John joined us on Wednesday evening and had a delightful dinner with us, led us to Monte Berico on Thursday, visited with friends and John's brother, who is stationed with the Army there, pursued Venice on Friday, and left Saturday when we did. So many memories, too many to share here. A few photos are below. 

 

L. HUGE wine list at Antica Bottega del Vino, C. An evening shot of Arena de Verona, R. Vicenza!

 

L. A jazz festival was underway in Vicenza and we enjoyed live music a couple of nights in the Basilica Palladini, C. Gelato is a necessity in Italy, R. Church exploring on a wet day.

Becoming familiar with Vicenza!

A Picasso drawing in our Air BnB stood out for me on the trip. It was a simple, four lines. Before I show it, I’d like to try portray the seven days we spent in Italy in a brief way, with just four words to portray: A. four taste experiences, B. four emotional/whole body/all senses, and C. four memorable visual experiences, in that order, for each day. 

Sunday 

A. Airplane food, wine, fabulous dinner surrounded by wine, delicious house wine in hotel lobby

B. Tired, Travel, achy, thrilled

C. Italy!, Rainy, colosseum, BIG wine list

Monday

A. Italian coffee, croissants, tiny, delectable cheese squares, local crostini

B. Exhilaration, backpack pain, happy hour!, live jazz after dinner

C. Poppies, Vicenza, Mountain View, new life in the old world 

Tuesday

A. Chocolate salami, Gelato, Vesuvius pizza, incredible Salata with tuna & corn

B. Slept in, Vicenza exploration, more rain, other side of the river walk

C. Churches and confessionals, underground tombs, sculpted iconic heroes, bunny park

Wednesday

A. Early toast, fruit, nut breakfast; Focaccia pizza, fancy dinner - truffle gnocchi, Proseco

B. Venice experienced, John & Rachel arrived, more live jazz after dinner, 20,000 step day

C. Early morning and sunset photos from the deck, Bridge of Sighs, skinny streets, St. Mark’s marble, leather

Vonderful Venice!

Thursday

A. Happy hour on the square with Cosmopolitan, chips and peanuts, oyster/fish restaurant with plate-licking shrimp, cracker/chip and “guacamole” appetizer; clams and cheap fish eggs, gelato dessert for four

B. Gorgeous, sunny day; hike up the hill with J & R; incredible luncheon views, I love Vicenza!

C. Long outdoor churchgoing corridors, Vicenza hilltop views, Basilica Berino, Teatro garden of relics

A breathtaking view from the top of Vicenza at Terrazza di Monte Berico, after a long hike up, some of it through the Monte Berico stairways. Greeted at the top by the Basillica Sanctuario della Madonna Monte Berico with cotton ball clouds and a sign for Jenny and I!

Friday 

A. Late breakfast, Gelato, Kepap bowl, Italian French fries

B. Three incredible Museums today, the joy of beautiful Italian architecture, tears of beautiful emotion at the Teatro Olympico, slightly sad for our last night in Vicenza 

C. Dawn view of the eastern city side, Baroque mansion, over-the-top jewelry, musical light experience at Teatro Olympico (across the street from our air BnB)

Above, the magnificent Teatro Olimpico, which featured a musical light show, Below, a ceiling in the Gallerie d'Italia -Vicenza, Bellini painting and the altar in Chiesa di Santa Corono Catholic church where we heard a violin orchestra and the organ rehearsing for Sunday services. 

 

Saturday

A. Cleaned up the kitchen of food for breakfast, Aperol spritzer with lunch, digestive biscuits & wine for happy hour after the spa, tasty salad with rich risotto dinner

B. Said our goodbyes, church visit with orchestra rehearsal, lunch at our original restaurant, No trains to Verona (!) - rush to Bus ride

C. Bellini painting, Vineyards, poppies, views of Verona

Here is the four line drawing by Picasso that was in mom's bedroom at the apartment. We played a game where one had to draw something with four lines. I drew an airplane, Mel drew a box, Jenny drew an apple, Mom drew "love," Rachel wrote "Serendipity" in cursive, with two dotted "i's" and a crossed "t."

Sunday

A. Airport coffee & croissants, Frankfurt snacks, ravioli & quinoa with roll lunch, tasty whole grain bread with provolone, herbed cream cheese, olives & tomatoes with yogurt

B. Sleepy wake up at 3:30 am, Long walk in Frankfurt Airport, last grab shopping at duty-free shop, anticipating arrival home

C. Green fields, vineyards, rivers and lakes from the air

Two more views from 23 Contra delle Canova, to the north, and to the south, daylight, and midnight

* ByLandAirSeaTravel - Beth and Doreen

**Vicenza's Teatro Olimpico is Europe's oldest surviving indoor theatre.