FloridaWaterMan.com
Trip to see family in Italy and to drink beer in Munich, as well as sample some coffee in Amsterdam.
Christian Lauw helped me find a bike to rent in Munich and even provided me with a bandage for my blistered toe. THANK YOU Christian!!
Without Christian, I don’t think that I would have been able to see the wonderful sights that I saw in Munich.
If anybody needs a Rikshaw tour in Munich, Christian is da MAN
christian.lauw at me.com
Waiting at the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark. I have been a bit sick for the past few days and want to go home. Clicking my heels 3 times didn’t help 🙂
This was taken with my laptop camera… my cell phone doesn’t do selfies any more cuz the glass cracked when if fell out of my pocket. No, that didn’t happen in Amsterdam 🙂
What can I say?
In Munich 
But failing miserably 🙂
Piazza del Duomo in Milan
– the church square.
After the opera, I strolled through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the Piazza del Duomo and had a gelato and watched this photo shoot, with techno music booming. The tourists were thrilled to chat with the model after the photo shoot. He was a lot of fun!
While enjoying the gelato I admired the Milan Cathedral, or Duomo di Milano.
Having falafel pita in Italy…. 
In Montepulciano the hotel was so nice that I hung out until midday and then had a beautiful ride through Sienna, a province in Tuscany – the long rolling hills were magnificent. The motorcycle does not have power brakes, so I was able to turn off the engine and coast downhill a long way from time to time and enjoy the silence and views.
I then went to Verona only to find that all of the hotels were full due to a very important convention, mama mia!!! I ASSumed that I would get lucky and find a hotel like in Montepulciano. When I first got there, I saw a bed and breakfast sign in a residential area and thought: BINGO so I followed the arrow but didn’t see any more signs. I asked a local about the B&B, who didn’t know of it and tried very hard to find something for me on his smartphone. When he wasn’t able to find anything, I should have realized there was something was wrong… Concern started to creep in to my head as the day was grown longer and this guy was taking so long. I then checked for myself and spoke with a hotel clerk, her suggestion was to get away from the center of the city. I noticed that the outskirts were a bit sketchy so I headed to Sirmione knowing that it was an nice tourist (thanks to Stefano). I figured there was no large convention there.
Just as night fell, I got to Sirmione to find that the first hotel I came across was booked. Consternation was starting to set in, and I figured that I would end up in a field somewhere to sleep – I didn’t really want to ride at night on the motorcycle. Another call, another full hotel. Another query for a suggestion and then Italian conversation with a colleague on the other end of the phone. Ah yes, Hotel Du Park. Google maps took me there in a jiffy and omg what good luck I have, the hotel was marvelous, with a pizza place next door. A salad and pizza hit the spot and the leftover pizza was just what I needed before bed.
Use the hotel blow dryer to help dry your hand washed clothes! 
The great Italian motorcycle adventure ended here in Milan. It started in Rome and took me through Sabaudia, along the Appian Way, through the heart of Italy. The weather was perfect.
The ride from my hotel in Milan to the rental agency was quite an adventure… the GPS was a bit wonky (operator error?) and as midday led to afternoon I found myself riding in circles among the Milan streetcar tracks that run along the streets… with the streetcars. I came across an intersection that was blocked because they decided to rearrange the traffic pattern. OK, go around. Then, construction. Try Google maps, sketchy. Back to the on board GPS. No luck. Back to GPS… I knew I was close, ask a utility worker. No luck. Try again… finally found the garage where the rental agency was located. That was easy, eh? NOT. I wanted adventure and got it 🙂
Stefano suggested Montepulciano, it was wonderful. I was lucky enough to find a hotel with a garage. I found the hotel with the help of Francesca and Philipe, 2 locals who I asked directions of.
When leaving, I got a bit lost in the city center and ended up seeing some very cool things. I had to drive past the tourists using the horn on the motorcycle to clear the way…
Stop #1 heading out of Sabaudia. Just another roadside bar (p.s. it’s a restaurant, Dad). 
