Traveling with Karen

Curios Market in Milano

If your stopover in Milano falls around the last Sunday of the month, amble down to the Bohemian Navigli district for the Mercatone dell'Antiquariato del Naviglio Grande--one of the largest outdoor antiques markets in Italy. Strung along both sides of the canal, more than 400 vendors set up booths to sell artifacts and bric-a-brac, furniture, books, toys, jewelry, clothes and more collectibles. On market day, the line-up of shops, cafes and art studios in the neighborhood are open for browsing and for taking gelato, lunch and refreshment breaks.
    Art deco collectors, and lovers of vintage posters and vintage clothing make great finds at this market. i bought wonderful, still brightly colored, early 1900 magazine advertising pages for about $20 each, which I bought for gifts and framed when I got home. Murano glass chandeliers, old kitchen and wood-working tools, jade, putti, old silver--you could wander all day.
    Tips: the market was fully open by 10:30 a.m. My advice is to cruise through in the cool morning, and return to your favorite vendors to bargain in the afternoon when they are open to reducing inventory. I had good luck w/this strategy, except when I went back to bargain for a gorgeous amethyst bracelet which was long gone!

Lido is a Green Getaway From Venice

Reachable in a few minutes by public sea bus from various points in Venice, the island of Lido is a quiet, green getaway from the hubbub of tourism in the city. A strip of beaches facing the Adriatic and tree-shaded parks are popular with daytrippers all summer, and visitors in the know stay in Lido hotels, zipping back and forth on the frequent water taxis, ferries (you can bring a car) and sea buses. Families opt for lodging on Lido, so that kids can run around, swim in the hotel pools and play on the beach--not possible in the city.
    The Westin Excelsior Resort is the top choice, a smashingly flamboyant, century-old resort with private cabanas on the beach, luxe designer boutiques, a sunny, beachside terrace for drinks and meals, and 5-star accommodations and service. The hotel offers complimentary private launch service to and from Venice all day and into the evening, connecting with sister Starwood hotels, the Danielli, the Westin Regina-Europa and the Gritti Palace.
    If you're on a budget, consider the Hotel Panorama, on the waterfront right at the ferry/sea bus stop. Also a hundred years old (completely updated now) the hotel is fresh and clean, and the people very friendly and helpful. We had a king room with 3 big windows overlooking the Venice skyline, with a tiny bathroom and a tiny shower, high ceilings, Murano glass sconces; breakfast on the terrace; bar but no restaurant––about 200 Euro. Restaurants in the village are a few steps away, the hotel has an arrangement for guests to enjoy a nearby beach, and you can take long walks or bike rides. Unlike most Lido hotels, the Panorama is open all year round.

How to get to Lido from the train station? It's either a $100 private water taxi (up to 6 people); or the public sea bus, with taxi to the hotel, about $50 altogether for two people. Because we were jetlagged and exhausted upon our arrival, we took the water taxi to Lido. Days later, we departed on the sea bus to the train station, which was fun, as the bus makes several stops and goes through the port area and along the waterfront; the water taxi jets along so fast that you don't get that nice tour.

Tranquility in England

Renowned author and Anglophile, Bill Bryson, recently addressed the Society of American Travel Writers in Manchester, England, regaling us with jokes and tall tales. He said, "I have made a career out of being a terrible traveler." When asked what he likes about England, he said, "Just look around."
    Originally from Iowa, now a resident of Norfolk, England, Bryson is Chancellor of Durham University, and the recipient of an honorary OBE for services to literature. Beyond just looking around his beloved English countryside, he is president of the Council to Protect Rural England (CPRE). Among accomplishments over the last few years, CPRE has helped to prevent A303 becoming a dual carriageway road through the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Somerset.
    The organization launched "tranquillity maps" to show the range of tranquillity across England, and facilitated new legislation to save starry nights by making light pollution a Statutory Nuisance. CPRE Oxfordshire created the Oxford Green Belt Way, a 50-mile circular walk around Oxford, a route created using existing footpaths and bridleways. CPRE believes that a beautiful, tranquil, diverse and productive countryside is fundamental to people's quality of life(cpre.org.uk).