What the Blog?

We just returned from a lovely 6 day holiday in Venice - I've written this for four days since we moved a lot more slowly with an infant. Though it seems there is never an "off-season" in Venice, September seemed incredibly crowded, especially the hot spots like San Marcos Square. Still, the weather was perfect nearly every day, allowing for lots of wandering through alleys, boat rides, and general relaxation. Here's what we did: Day 1: Arrived late to the  Residenza Valier , an apartment near the San Silvestro vaporetto stop. The next morning, I wandered to a Coop grocery store for some coffee and other provisions. I stopped by the  Pasticcieria Rizzardini  for a few mini pastries and cookies which went perfectly with coffee and well... everything else. We headed out to explore the  Rialto Bridge , get lost among the alleys and canals, and have a delicious pizza at  Rosa Rossa . We wandered by the  Rialto Mercato  and some of the touristy shops alo...

I'll start this post with a rant. I really hate Frankfurt Airport. Now, I've slept overnight at more airports than is normal - SFO, ORD, YYZ. So many, and I still remember the airport codes - this makes me somewhat of an expert. In Frankfurt, well, the putrid gray colors...the parking garages that are cold and endless... the smoking rooms you can smell from too far away... the lack of water fountains... the lack of helpful staff... I could go on. The absolute worst part though, is the process to reclaim your VAT. It's convoluted during normal working hours, and even more convoluted outside those times. Since neither Frankfurt's airport, nor inside signage, nor information desk, can be bothered to clearly explain how it works, here is your guide. After 4 failed attempts at off-hours VAT reclamation by 3 different family members.... we shall fail no more! DURING WORKING HOURS (7 am - 6 pm): Customs window is open. Find the window ("Zoll") in your terminal...