Getting there: Okay, Gods and Goddesses, what did I do to offend thee?

Travel in the modern world is an amazing thing, You climb into a long metal tube, sit, cramped a bit  at 40,000 feet if you're the vox popoli and not one of the swells, yet within a few hours you are transported thousands of miles away with  even a hot meal and a glass or two of vino rosso under your belt.

Easy eh?

Yes, usually. I'm pretty lucky and rarely have many snafus, but yesterday was almost comedic in the cosmic display of how many things could go sideways and a relatively short 14 hours of transit time could be turned into around 30 with much sweat and stress and airport hiking.

I've had worse days but it's been a long time. How it was supposed to work and how the fates decided it would be fun to poke at us a bit:

1. Our doggies with the mountains of officious paperwork all in order were to fly to Milan in advance of us to be picked up at the airport an hour after we landed.  For someone like myself who adores a well-laid plan, it was perfect.  Maybe too perfect.

2. The doggums flight was missed somehow so they were scheduled for the next day. But, but, it's all saints day in Italy so dog customs isn't working. So they get held for flying on Sabato, arriving Monday in Rome. I'm bummed they didn't get to wear their custom jackets in Milano and be tutto moda in the fashion capital of the world.

3. Then our flight gets delayed by poor weather at one of our layover airports causing us to miss our connection and send our luggage into purgatory. We got a new connecting flight, but 4 hours later - upside was that we were now in Germany and spent our time wisely on wheat beer and a torte di frutta.

Some stress reduced, but we were hitting hour 20 by the point and brain functionality was flatlining so it's hard to say if it was truly stress reduction or just a numb brain. But okay, we got our flight to Milano and were nearly there. Tutto bene.

But no, Discordia was not amused and she vanished our luggage...somewhere.

The lost luggage CS  peeps were wonderful and friendly, but with a holiday the next day in Italy, confidence was not high at seeing our clothes anytime soon. 

........Then things slowly got better.  Although still thoroughly jetlagged and barely able to speak or communicate beyond grunting and pointing we somehow found an amazing ristorante, very old school, very friendly and food to kill or die for.

Murale's. The kind of place that has the apertivi di Giorno under glass as you enter so your thoughts and taste buds could be woken up to their full height.

Then my favorite appertivo; Fiori di Zucca with mozzarella di buffala stuffed intro the flower before deep frying. That and a glass of wine and I was feeling better.

A secondi was Bacalla, Bacalla, Bacalla.  Cod prepared three ways.  Hard to choose the best but the polpetta with creamed formaggio was a life-changing piatta.

Finally came the limoncello, when I mentioned to our waiter that I make my own limoncello authentico at home and showed him a picture,

he ooh'd and ahh'd and said maybe I could make for his restaurant too? Then he brought us the limoncello with some complimentary biscotti and a smile.

Man, I love Italians. A perfect evening.

And then, and then, our luggage arrives, delivered to our appartamento. All is well in Milano today.

A Roma tomorrow!

A presto....