sazy rock's top 10 tastes of 2015

The tuna auction in Tokyo, Japan.

I have spent most of 2015 traveling to eat in Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), and in 20 states in the United States. In fact, after this post goes live, I will be off to Israel and Jordan. Although a few bites have been disappointing, for the most part, it has been a very delicious year (and I suspect will continue to be delicious during the remaining two weeks of 2015).

A memorable lobster dish from Azurmendi in Bilbao, Spain from 2014.
Yes, I still think fondly of this dish to this day.

I've been fortunate to eat an array of food from so many different parts of the world - some I have written about (click on the name and city of the restaurant to get the link to the post) and some I have not. Although I could easily list more than the 10 below, I had to force myself to be disciplined. My list could also change tomorrow. 

flying out of bgy? visit bergamo

Bergamo.

Many travelers who use budget airlines, such as Ryanair, fly in and out of BGY (Bergamo airport) on their way in or out of Milan. In the process, many of them skip Bergamo, a small and quaint town in its own right. 

Bergamo

travel zen on friday: rolling tuscan hills

Rumor has it that these same hills served as the inspiration for the background of the Mona Lisa painting.  Cool, huh?

how to get cheap-ish tickets to watch an opera in milan

For many opera lovers, an evening enjoying a performance at Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, for short) is a must. But, tickets could get pricey (although some people may qualify for a discount), especially seats in the boxes and orchestra.

For budget conscious travelers, a cheap way to get tickets is to line up at the box office on the day of the performance to score as low as €9 tickets. For the performance I saw, the walk-in tickets, also called "admissions" tickets, cost €11. Admissions seats are in the second row of the galleries. (When I saw a performance, however, people seated in the second row sometimes had to stand to see what was going on onstage.)

If, like me, you don't have a lot of time to line up on the day of the performance without a guarantee of getting a ticket, or do not qualify for the discounts but still want to enjoy a performance on the cheap, there is still a way... plan well ahead of time so you can buy them directly from La Scala. Below is my step-by-step guide:

how to get cheap-ish tickets to see da vinci's the last supper in milan

A copy of The Last Supper.

If you are a fan of Leonardo da Vinci, a visit to see The Last Supper in Milan is a must. If you are a fan of Dan Brown's book, "The Da Vinci Code," a visit to see The Last Supper in Milan is a must. If you have nothing better to do while in Milan, a visit to see The Last Supper is a must.

Unlike the Duomo, which is free to visit (although there are fees to visit the terrace and the archaeological area), the privilege of viewing The Last Supper (for 15 minutes at most) comes with a hefty price.... unless, you plan well in advance. You can view this masterpiece only if you have a ticket. If you can't get a ticket as described below, you may still be able to behold this great work if you pay for a tour... at a significantly higher price. There are lots of places where you can get a tour if you search the interwebs. This post will focus on getting tickets at the cheapest price you can get to view The Last Supper, i.e., buying it through official channels.

milan eats: luini panzerroti

A Luini Panzerroti.

If you ever find yourself in Milan, I highly recommend eating a panzerroti -- a soft calzone-like snack -- at Luini. In two days, I had three panzerrotis. It was like an obsession.

favorite "cheap" meals in italy

(Italy).  Italy is not really known as a budget travel location, but there are still some amazing and affordable places to eat amazingly well.  And since the house wine (vino de casa) at all Italian restaurants are super good and cheap, there's really no need to spend a lot of money on fancy wines (unless you are a wine connoisseur).

Below is a list of my favorite "cheap" options, in no particular order...

taking the train in italy

During my 3-week trip in Italy, my husband and I took the following train trips:

• Rome to Florence (less than 2 hours)
  
• Florence to Bologna (about 40 minutes)
  
• Bologna to Venice (roundtrip) (about 1 1/2 hour each way)
  
• Bologna to Naples  (3 hours and 15 min)
  
• Naples to Sorrento (on local train)(argh - an hour and a half because there were about 20 bizillion stops!)*
• Sorrento to Pompeii (on local train)(the express train; about 20 min)*

 * For local trains, you have to get the tickets at the station.

What was our experience like?

martinikitty's gelato favorites and (unfavorites) in italy

(Italy).  Gelato (or Italian ice cream) is one of the most popular food experiences for most tourists visiting Italy.  And no, it isn't simply ice cream with different, exotic flavors.  Gelato is indisputably denser and creamier and better.  The flavors are amazingly vibrant and rich.   I'm not sure why gelato always tastes better in Italy than anywhere else, but it simply does.

I've been to Italy three times and have eaten lots and lots of gelato.  I'm by no means a connoisseur but based on my personal experience, I've listed a few of my favorites (and unfavorites), along with an additional list of places I still wish to try.  Let me know what your favorite gelato place is!

day trip to ravello along the amalfi coast

(Ravello, Italy).  During our drive through the Amalfi Coast, we spent some quality time at the charming hilltop village of Ravello*.  It is home to a lovely pedestrian town (no cars allowed in the village proper, except for exempt vehicles) with quaint shopping (gorgeous ceramics and art) and delicious local restaurants.  It is perhaps most famous for hosting a classical music festival in the summer and Villa Cimbrone* and Villa Rufolo - which were previously private residences but have been converted into tourist attractions to showcase their amazing views.  Villa Cimbrone is actually a hotel now, but its beautiful gardens are available to non-hotel guests for a small fee (around 7 euros per person).

Our driver dropped us off at the beginning of the pedestrian section of the village and we wandered into Ravello on foot.  Like most other charming Italian villages, Ravello looks like a postcard.  There is a main square with a Duomo, flanked by restaurants with outdoor patios and shops.  It's a pretty small square so you can easily and quickly walk around the entire area.  

hotel review: le sirenuse in positano

View from our room at La Sirenuse.

(Positano, Italy).  Of all the hotels that I booked for our Italian honeymoon, Le Sirenuse in Positano was the one I was most looking forward to because of its stellar reputation and the gorgeous pictures on its website.  It is often described as the best hotel in Positano and it literally sits in the middle of the village with breathtaking views of the bay.  (It was also in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun with Diane Lane and the hot Italian guy.)

Le Sirenuse is at once luxurious and intimate.  In fact, it was a family summer home until it was converted into a boutique hotel in 1951.  It is still a family-run establishment, and it is evident in the careful details permeating throughout the hotel that Le Sirenuse is a source of great family pride. 

The hotel is not cheap.  In fact, it's probably the most I've ever spent on accommodations.  I was concerned that my super high expectations would cause me to be disappointed, but that fear immediately fled my mind the moment we arrived.

positano - highlights, tips and recommendations

(Positano, Italy).  It's hard to imagine how this glamorous and beautiful village was built - literally hanging from a steep wall of rock.  Positano is now viewed as another playground for the rich but it actually has very modest origins - beginning as a fishing village, then rising as a rival to Venice, then falling into hard times, only to be reinvigorated as an exclusive seaside resort.  

I didn't really know much about Positano before I visited. I only knew the pictures I had seen of the picturesque and charming village were amazing.  And I was not disappointed.

firenze card - is it worth it?

(Florence, Italy).  The Firenze Card is a 3-day tourist pass which entitles you to:

• Access to the majority of the tourist sites in Florence without reservations;
• Use of buses/trams in the cities; and
• Access to the Firenze WiFi network.

The card costs 72 euros and is valid for 72 hours from its first use.  

You can buy it at most of the major churches and museums in Florence.  We picked our cards up at the Basilica e Museo di S. Maria Novella which is across the street from the train station (Stazione Santa Maria Novella) when we arrived in Florence.  They don't sell out so there's no need to pre-purchase them online.

So, did we find it worth the price?

day trip to capri

Marina Grande

(Capri, Italy).  In ancient times, Capri was a retreat for emperors and intellectuals because of its spectacular views, serenity and beauty.   Today, it is a popular tourist destination and commonly considered a playground for the rich.    We decided to just spend a day there since it was very easy to get there from Sorrento and we were curious as to what the island had to offer.

quick trip to pompeii

In the Forum area.  That's Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

(Pompeii, Italy). Ever since I was a child, I beheld Pompeii with great wonder even though I couldn't fully comprehend the archaeological and historical value of the site.  I think it was probably because I was mesmerized by Roman and Greek mythology and imagined that Pompeii somehow represented all of that mysticism and magic.  (I'm also a big Dr. Who and sci-fi/fantasy fan, so I've probably watched every silly show that was set in Pompeii.)

travel zen on tuesday - tuscan hills in greve in chianti

I serendipitously captured this moment during a morning stroll, as the mist rolled over the hills.

hotel review: hotel antiche mura in sorrento

(Sorrento, Italy).  I stayed at the Hotel Antiche Mura based on a friend's recommendation because of its proximity to the main town square, the ferry to Capri, and the train station and its quaint looking pool.  I booked a Standard Room (including free wireless internet service and breakfast buffet).  

Was it everything I thought it would be?

sorrento - highlights, tips and recommendations

A view of Mt. Vesuvius from Sorrento.

(Sorrento, Italy).  After the hectic sightseeing, shopping and eating in Rome, Florence and Bologna, Sorrento was a nice change of pace for us.  While it is still touristy, it does feel more like a quaint beach town, and we were definitely ready for some relaxation!

What were some highlights of Sorrento for us?

tipping in italy

Before I go to a foreign country, I like to do some research on its tipping culture - because unlike the United States where tipping is practically mandatory even for mediocre service, most other countries don't really tip.  For example, in Taiwan, good service is simply part of the job and a tip would only be given for extraordinary service (but is never expected) or for a very specific type of service (e.g., traditional matchmaking but only when it leads to a wedding).  In some countries, tipping is actually offensive - weird huh?

The most helpful information on tipping I found were in the Frommer's Guide and this youtube video from soniastravels.  I generally followed the following guidelines:

day trip to venice

A romantic gondola - no, we didn't go on it....

(Venice, Italy).  During our stay in Bologna, we took a day trip to Venice.  It was actually quite easy to take a train from Bologna to Venice (about a one and a half hour trip), and it was entertaining to watch the scenery shift from farms and countryside to water and boats.  I really wanted my husband to see the beauty of Venice with his own eyes but I knew he would not want to spend more than a day there because he can't stand crowds and Venice can be like one big mob scene, especially during high season.