Cindybelle's Bella Notte TR COMPLETE!! - UPDATED 10/19 With Prices! - Page 12 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
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Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
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To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I love the night-time and evening shots, especially as we were only visiting Firenze on a day-trip from the Disney Med cruise. Whenever we go back (and we will - be it on our own, or with fellow PassPorters ) we'll definitely ensure we get to explore the city at twilight and at night.
Firenze is known for its leather goods, so we walked past many such shops. Then, on our way to our prepaid reservations for the Uffizi Gallery (where we spent 3 blissful hours -- it's the largest collection of Italian paintings in the world -- fabulous; no photography allowed), a handbag gave me the from a doorway. I stopped and gasped, "Rick, you have to remember where we are, because I must come back here!"
Of course, the shop owner immediately came forward and gave me a business card. When we returned later, Robbie and I both spent more $$$ on handbags than we've ever spent before. The next day, I got someone at our B&B to take a couple of photos as Robbie and I "modeled" our new, made-in-Firenze, leather handbags. Observe:
Aren't we too, too fabu for words!
Of course, we took advantage of our B&B's rooftop terrace throughout our stay. One afternoon, we went to Mercate Centrale to purchase fresh cheese, meat, and bread and took it "home" for a picnic on the roof.
Even though we didn't speak the language, the butcher had no trouble comparing hand gestures -- how much meat/cheese we wanted, etc. It was a lot of fun to shop that way.
Wonderful updates, from the statues to the Churches, even the picnic lunches on the roof, it all sounds devine (yes I am fantasizing about Italy now). Your pictures are wonderful....
This one is so beautiful - simple, perfectly set, the colors, the lighting - definitely postcard material
Rick delighted in having us take different routes to/from our B&B and just see where the little roads would take us. This city is so walkable that you really can't get lost -- you always find your way back, because so many streets open into each other.
During our strolls, we would stop to take quick photos of architectural details -- doors, windows, decorations on corners of buildings, spires, etc. I could devote the entire TR to these, but here are a few of my favorite details.
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love the bags...wow, so great and such detail. of course i could say the same about all the architectural features you have shared with us. simply astounding....
Thanks for explaining your logic on how you chose what to wear. We have traveled to Paris, Munich, & Berlin and I carried all my things in 2 backpacks so i wouldn't ahve to check my luggage. We definitely weren't dressed as nice as you all were most the time, but I think we were ok for the places we went. I tried to make all my shirts plain, but must admit I wore some bright colors. Plus we went for the World Cup (soccer) so we traveled to games and of course dressed in jerseys and shorts for those occasions.
Glad you could get by without knowing the language - great to here from both you & Cheryl.
I love all your pictures and I loved the story about getting meat, cheese, and bread. Reminds me of our first meal in Paris - at a local deli where we did basically the same thing - point. But that was the BEST salami sandwich ever!!
We will definitely have to get together so I can see all your fabulous pictures!
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Wonderful updates Cindy!! I love the photos of all the architectural details. It brings back wonderful memories of Florence - and your photos of the Ponte Veccechio are lovely!
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) we'll definitely ensure we get to explore the city at twilight and at night. 
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from a doorway. I stopped and gasped, "Rick, you have to remember where we are, because I must come back here!"
this one:
Plus we went for the World Cup (soccer) so we traveled to games and of course dressed in jerseys and shorts for those occasions.
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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