An Italian Trip to Remember

Our first full day in Rome we slept in…a little. There was a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica that left at 7:00 AM. As Mom had already seen it, and I was still a little scarred from yesterday’s Sistine Chapel event, we opted to hang back at the hotel. Took our showers in the micro shower stall. I’m 90% convinced the fan didn’t work in our bathroom so it was steamy after two showers. The only great thing about the bathroom was a little magnifying mirror.

Because of what we had seen so far in the lack of amenities, we were a bit concerned about breakfast. Sara had told us to lower our expectations. I was prepared for a stale croissant and cereal. We were pleasantly surprised there was a decent offering of food. I asked for a cup of cappuccino and it was delivered with a little heart in the foam. Awwwwww….

We dallied over breakfast and then went back to the room. I washed out a pair of pants and my socks for the plane ride home. Then I worked on the previous day’s blog and Mom worked on her crossword puzzles. We met our group outside for a trip the Forum, the Coliseum, and the Pantheon. Because the Metro line wasn’t running there, Sara hired us taxis to reach our destination. I took video of most of the trip. I’m not sure how to attach it to this blog but I will try.

Our taxis arrived one by one. We hopped out after paying the driver. People in another taxi got out and were mad because their driver wouldn’t give them change. The charge for the trip was about 12 euro. They paid with a $20 euro bill and the driver refused to give them change. As Sara would say to us: Ai Ai Ai! But that wasn’t the worst of it. One of our other tour mates had his wallet lifted right after he got out of his taxi. He went right back to the hotel to start reporting his missing items. Thank goodness his passport was in the safe back in the room.

We gather with this dubious start to our tour. Our guide Maria Laura was back. Our first stop was at the Forum. There were several arches about which she explained the history. We saw the place where Julius Caesar was cremated after his death. It’s a pile of stone now where people throw coins and flowers in his memory.

There was an area built for the Four Virgins to keep the flame of light alive. There service was for 30 years. First ten years was to learn what to do. The next ten years was keeping the flame lit. And the last ten years was training replacements. They were also the only women who could sit near the throne of Caesar. Once their service was complete, they could marry whomever they wanted. They were very rich women in their own right.

We did take a stroll down the oldest road I’ve ever been on. This was the road Caesar walked when going to announce a war was over. It does blow the mind a bit to think of how old those stones are and who has walked over them.

After we left the area of the Forum, we walked to the Coliseum. We started on the ground level where MariaLaura showed us the cleaning that had been done. A lot of the stone was blackened with pollution. What was amazing to me was the damage from looting that was reflected on the columns. As time passed, rulers would have their builders take iron from the Coliseum. Inside the columns were rods of iron. Those would be removed and melted down for whatever was needed. So, there are small divots in the columns now as a result.

Sara grabbed a few of us with bum knees or ankles.  There’s an elevator up to the next level and she made sure she got us on it.  The stairs going up there were steep, and she wanted to keep us “uninjured”.  Not sure how many times I can say how fantastic she is.  We take the elevator up and meet our group at the top of the stairs, some of them groaning or gasping for air.

There were lots of displays showing how things worked in the Coliseum.  There was quite an intricate system of pulleys and hoists for the underground elevators.  These were hidden from the spectators so the men and animals would emerge unexpectedly from the floor of the arena through a trap door.

Around the exterior of the Coliseum there had been statues of various persons of importance.  The bodies of the statues were based on their position in life, be it statesman, gladiator, etc.  Then the head was carved separately based on that person’s face and attached to the carved body.  This statue was then installed within an arch around the outside of the Coliseum.

We finally got our first glimpse of the interior of the Coliseum. It took your breath away to think about the spectators there thousands of years ago.  The fact the building is still standing is amazing considering how much pillaging took place, and the earthquakes it withstood.  We couldn’t tour the underground portion, but we could view it from above.  It looks like there was some restoration work going on.  We eventually made our way down to the arena level to get a better view of the arena floor.  There was a bunch of scaffolding dropping down into the lower levels.

From the Coliseum we walk to the Pantheon.  It was about a 20-minute walk.  Of course, along the way we encountered numerous beggars.  A common ruse was for a hunched over little “old” women dressed in black walking with a cane and holding a plastic cup, begging for coins.  Once they distracted you getting coins, their associate would lift your wallet or whatever other valuables you might have in your pockets.  I managed to get a photo of one of them along the way.

Along the walk to the Pantheon we passed the ruins where Julius Caesar was murdered, the Largo di Torre Argentina in the center of Rome.  MariaLaura spent a little time with a brief history, and then we moved on.  Apparently, it is a large cat sanctuary now; although we could not spot one cat.  The area is still being excavated and researched.

We reached the Pantheon but could not enter due to an evening mass.  The Pantheon was constructed first in 27BC.  It was built as a temple to all gods or as a “pagan” temple.  It wasn’t until 609AD was it consecrated and became a church thereby avoiding destruction during the Middle Ages.  The 16 massive columns supporting the portico weigh 60 tons each. They are 39 feet, five feet in diameter and brought all the way from Egypt. These columns were dragged more than 100 km from the quarry to the Nile river on wooden sledges. They were floated by barge down the Nile River when the water level was high during the spring floods, and then transferred to vessels to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Roman port of Ostia. There, they were transferred back onto barges and pulled up the Tiber River to Rome.  You can see scarring on the columns where incoming conquerors would try to tear them down to remove remnants of the previous regime.

After the visit to the Pantheon, we walked to Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers).  It was designed in 1651 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for Pope Innocent X whose family palace, the Palazzo Pamphili, faced onto the piazza.  The four rivers represented are the Ganges, the Nile, the Rio de la Plata, and the Danube.

From here we walked to the nearest bus stop to ride the bus back to our hotel.  Because it is now mid-rush hour, the bus is standing room only.  All 27 of us squeeze on the bus.  There were several stops and people kept squeezing onto the bus.  At one point there no one could get on the bus; people were almost falling out every time the doors opened.  At one point we stopped and picked up a few people the back door couldn’t close because a woman was in the doorway and the door couldn’t close.  After several minutes she either squeezed in or got out and the bus proceeded on its way.  Finally reaching our stop we all pile out like clowns coming out of a clown car.  Not sure anyone had time to get on the bus.

Went back to our rooms and freshened up for dinner.  We met downstairs and walked around the corner to have our last dinner together on the tour.  The name of the restaurant was “Target”.  We were led to the basement where tables had been formed into an “L” shape to fit us all in.  Our first course was a salad.  The unique item on this salad was Guanciale (pig cheek).  It was julienned and cooked until crispy.  It looked like shredded beets.  But not even close.  Very tasty!

The second course was very simple pasta in ragu sauce.  A little parmesan on top and it was perfection.

Third course was two veal cutlets and cooked spinach.  I was a little uncertain on the veal.  I’ve never had veal before.  It never has been on my radar.  And not for animal rights reasons; just not that interested in beef as a whole.  The cooked spinach was gross.  I did take a bite and washed it down with a whole lot of water.

Dessert was tiramisu.  My favorite by far.  Still not the best one by far, but it was still delicious.

The dinner was spent visiting with group members.  Lots of photos taken and hugs given.  Our last big meal together.  It was full of laughter and information exchanging.  Lots of wine was consumed, both reds and whites.  It was a great time for all involved.

We walked back to the hotel and met in the internet room.  We were in there less than 2 minutes when a hotel resident opened their door and said: “we’re trying to sleep here”.  So, we moved out into the courtyard to say our final goodbyes.  The neighboring hotel desk clerk came out and told us we were too loud.  We then moved into a small area outside the courtyard which I believe led to private apartments.  Apparently, we were too loud there as well.  So, we tried to quietly say our goodbyes.  More hugging, some tears.  I was truly surprised how much I have come to like these people.  We all cared about each other; would look out for each other.  It’s really what helped make the trip.  I will remember them forever.

We enjoyed our final morning at our Agriturismo. An excellent breakfast and a warm goodbye from our host.

Our ride to Rome is is filled with information from Sara about our plans for the next two days. There was no cat napping on this bus trip! Sauro gave us each a small Pinocchio ornament. He has one hanging from one of his mirrors so it was very appropriate.

There was one stop on the Autostrada for a bio break. We stopped to admire the 1 meter tall cans of Pringles and Ritter treats. Pringles are all over the place here.

Back on the bus after a group photo. More information from Sara. We shortly arrive in Rome. Apparently the workers at the Whirlpool factory decided to protest and were marching down one of the main streets in protest. Of course, this stopped traffic. Sauro must have the patience of a saint. I thought Milan was insane with drivers. Not even close. And, in the middle of being stopped, an ambulance was trying to get down this road we are one. There was a police officer waving drivers to the left and right so the ambulance could make it’s way. Like a parting of the Red Sea…only with cars and scooters.

Sauro dropped us off a couple blocks away from the hotel. Apparently Rome has rules about tour bus parking. He had to phone ahead to let them know we were on our way and he’s only allowed a 30 minute window to get us off the bus and unload our bags. We are a fast group…Norm was always ready to pull bags off and stack them up for the rest of us. We said our final goodbye to Sauro and starting dragging our bags toward the hotel.

Sara had told us to lower our expectations for this hotel. She wasn’t wrong. The room is tiny, the shower the tiniest we’ve seen so far, and the air conditioning is mediocre at best. But it’s still a place to lay our head at night and for that I am thankful. We unpacked a bit and got sorted out. There are hardly any outlets, the lighting is dim and we look out at a wall (which is over a courtyard).

We went off in search of something to eat but realized we had lolly- gagged too much. No such thing as quick service here. We even went into the nearby McDonalds, but it was so crowded we quickly exited. We eventually gave up and went back to the hotel to meet with the group.

Sara had us do our buddy check. Come to find out we were missing Alvin. The last time he was seen was about 15 minutes before the meeting heading right outside the hotel. We waited, but no Alvin. Off we marched to the Metro without Alvin. Sara called the hotel while we walked and Alvin had turned up. The hotel put him in a taxi and sent him off to meet us at the Vatican.

The Metro. What an amazing piece of people moving. And how well do you get to know the person you are standing next to while riding it! When we first boarded the train there was room to breathe; even a few open seats. Then with each stop it got a little more crowded. We were able to get off the train easily, only having to elbow a few people who were getting on the train that wouldn’t let us off. Ahhhh…when in Rome…

We climb a couple flights of stairs to escape the Metro. Then it’s a few blocks hike uphill to the entrance of the Vatican Museum. As we are waiting there, all of us are on the lookout for Alvin. We queued up with our local guide, MariaLaura, who started telling us about what we were going to see, and the history of the Vatican (brief historical anecdotes really) as we moved slowly through the lines. Still no Alvin.

As we get to the door where you officially enter, Steve from our groups shouts “I see him! I see Alvin!” Sara was waiting outside and we were all yelling and pointing for her to grab him. It was quite comical. Sara got Alvin to us and we entered together as one group. We’ve become pretty close as a group and the thought of one being lost was a little stressful.

We enter the Museum and are guided up more stairs to an open area where the dome of the Basilica can be viewed. There were also many displays where you could read about the Sistine Chapel and the frescos contained therein. MariaLaura spent about 20 minutes explaining what some of the frescos meant. She tried to find a shady spot but there were so many people there it was useless.

The tour moves inside the museum where there are open courtyards and marble carvings. It’s all blended together so I will just post photos of what we saw.

We keep moving through rooms and the crowds keep closing in. Our group keeps splintering apart as other people intermingle and slow down those of us at the back. Often we couldn’t hear our guide on the radio provided because we were too far away.

Now we start getting to rooms and halls where there are more frescos, less carvings. MariaLaura is still full of information on the frescos and we spent about 15 minutes just in one room while she explained two of them. By this time I’m starting to think: WHERE is the Sistine Chapel and why aren’t we there yet?

After what seemed like forever, we finally arrive at the Chapel. The crowds are so tight you can’t move and not brush up against someone. There was a woman who keep bumping her purse into my back. Finally I bumped back. “Scusi” I muttered over my shoulder. She stopped pushing me. Our local guide leaves us to enter the chapel on our own.

When we entered the chapel the smell of people was overwhelming. And the heat. There were guards moving people in fast; Mom and I got separated. Our group as a whole was splintered again. You had to stand and crane your neck to see the ceiling. The paintings were smaller than I had expected, and with the panic rising I just felt like I had to escape. There were some seats around the edge of the room, but getting to sit down took a miracle from St. Francis of Assisi it seemed. I just followed the wave of people toward the exit. This is where I found my mom right at the gate to leave the room. She had the same panicked look that I must have had.

We made our way to the other side of the “fence”. All of a sudden, I couldn’t breathe. Tears started rolling down my face and I was hyperventilating. Vivian in our group made sure I got a seat and she started breathing with me…trying to slow it down. Then MaryEllen starting breathing with me too. Someone handed me a tissue. It took about 10 minutes to get to where I could breathe normally again.

As I am calming down, the rest of our group continues to gather in one corner of the room. Once we are all together, Sara tells us it’s time to leave. Before we can make it 10 steps towards the exit, a guard starting yelling at Sara. Norm from the group starts interjecting as well on Sara’s behalf. The guard takes her radio and storms away. We are all looking at each other in disbelief. Within a minute, the guard comes back to Sara, pushing me out of the way to get to her. My reaction was to elbow him…which I did. Hard and in the ribs. Didn’t seem to phase him at all. He gives Sara her radio back and we quickly exit the room.

To get out of the Vatican Museum it was still a 10 minute walk through long halls and gift shops. The crowds had lessened and we were able to move quickly. As we exited and breathed in the outside air it was like a wave of relief crashed over me.

From here we walked back to the Metro with the destination of the Spanish Steps. The train was a little more crowded this time. We all shoved our way in and grabbed the neared pole. We had about three stops before ours. And people kept piling in. It was “rush hour” apparently. By the time we reached our stop there were about 8 of us hanging onto one pole. On the other side of the pole from me was a little Italian grandma who couldn’t have been more than 4 foot 8 inches tall. I don’t think she could have gotten out if she tried. We had her surrounded. And she didn’t seem to care at all. I wish I could have taken a photo of her.

We arrive at our stop and pile out of the train. Up the stairs we go! If someone had told me Italy was full of stairs…I might have taken that into serious consideration and worked harder at getting ready. Ah well…que sera sera. We hit the sidewalk at a quick pace and end up at the Spanish Steps. It was kind of a letdown. I’m not sure what I expected. But it was just a large set of stairs (which by this point I’m not really excited to see) with lots of people standing on them. Apparently in the past people could sit there and visit and eat their lunch or a gelato. But then they were cleaned and now it’s just not done. So the allure of that image was gone.

We split up to find something to eat. There were about 8 of us who followed Sara. Dinner was at a place called Otello. It was good, but not sure it was worth the price. I had Ricotta Ravioli with butter and sage. $13 euro. Mom had the same. There were 4 large ravioli on the plate. A little overpriced for sure. I made sure to clean out the bread basket. We also found out why the guard took Sara’s radio from her. Because she isn’t a licensed LOCAL guide, she wasn’t allowed to be talking to us on the radio anywhere in the museum. She had tried explaining to the guard that she was just trying to get her people together to get them outside. She’s still not sure why he brought the radio back to her.

After dinner we met back at the fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps. We started our walk to the Trevi Fountain. By now of course it’s dark, but there are tons of people out walking around. I think it was about 15 minutes walk to the fountain. And well worth it. Seeing the fountain was like getting a hot fudge sundae after having to eat your least favorite meal. We took a ton of photos and of course threw our coins in the fountain to ensure our return to Italy. I think it was amazing at night. The lighting was incredible.

Now starts the walk back to the hotel. In Sara time, she says it’s only 15 minutes. It was more like 20 minutes back. We did stop at a small piazza where we could see one of the domes lit up, as well as a sliver of the moon. And, of course, there were more stairs up. Made it back to the hotel and we literally fell into bed. Spent a few minutes on FaceTime with my dear husband and then Mom and I passed out. I tracked us walking over 15,000 steps today, 14 flights of stairs, and 6.6 miles. Pretty sure my blisters have blisters.

I’m a little behind on blogging because we have been so busy. I expect to get caught up on the flight home.

Buona Notte!

October 3rd. Italy. What more could my mom ask for? A little warmer weather is all. My mother was in Italy 10 years ago on her birthday. What an honor to be here now to celebrate with her.

It’s a little chilly here at our agriturismo. This morning it was 56 degrees when we walked to breakfast. And I left my sweater on the bus.

At least I’m not complaining how hot it is. Breakfast was good. This morning I was tickled to find a tiny jar of Nutella. They didn’t have any chocolate croissants this morning, so I made my own. Also had cup of cappuccino (it’s only a morning beverage here). I know I mentioned in a previous post how good the butter is here. I wish I could bring some home with me.

After breakfast Mom and I walked back to the room. There is a very nice brick pathway on which to walk. There are ups and downs (mostly ups when it comes to getting back to the room). Mom starts getting ready to travel to “Upper” Orvieto with some of the tour group. I opted to stay back and nurse my blisters and my sore knee.

I said goodbye to Mom and did a little laundry. As I’m washing my clothes in the bathroom sink I hear a clap of thunder. More rain! And lots of wind too. Felt bad for those in Orvieto…after yesterday I can vouch a walking tour isn’t the greatest in such foul weather.

I spent a few hours working on yesterday’s blog. The internet is fairly good here. Much easier to upload photos. I’m becoming fascinated with Italian art; specifically in relation to religion. My apologies if I drone on and on…but I’ve learned so much and I want to be able to go back and read about what we saw.

Mom came back around 2:30PM. She had a great time In Orvieto even though it rained. They ducked into a cafe to escape the rain, and then she went to the Etruscan museum. Said it was fascinating. We called home and spoke to Doug; then we called Dad and chatted with him for a few minutes. We got cut off when our minutes ran out. But she was pleased to talk to him today.

A little before 4PM we made our way over to the spa. Mom had her pedicure and I had a facial massage. I really wanted a facial…but I think this was just as good. 25 minutes of someone rubbing your face. Ahhhhhh… I was so relaxed! And apparently I was “glowing” (pretty sure that was the oil she used when massaging me.

6:15 was drinks and light snacks at the bar. The snacks here are so funny. It’s always potato chips, salted peanuts and a hard bread (tonight it was short breadsticks). Mom had a glass of wine and I had my good old bottle of water. Mom and I chatted with Cray; who told us about remodeling her home in New York. She had lots of photos on her phone and it looks like she and her husband have done quite a bit of work on it.

7PM is dinner. We walk down to the restaurant and get seated. Tonight there was no menu on the table, but I heard it was supposed to be “Italian BBQ”. We of course started with bread to dip in the olive oil. Then a large plate of French fries arrived at our table. They were good…a little taste of home.

Then the main course arrives. It’s various meats on a bamboo skewer, atop a mountain of vegetables. WOW!

I’m pretty sure none of this saw a BBQ grill, but that’s ok. It was still delicious. There were hot dogs on the skewers along with chunks of chicken meat.

Dessert arrived and it was a simple mousse with a cherry sauce over it. Very light and refreshing after the pile of meat we consumed.

As our group was eating their dessert, I stood up and asked for everyone’s attention. I told everyone in our group it was Mom’s birthday. We sang Happy Birthday in English and Italian. She cried. Our group clapped for her and some came over to give her a hug and wish her a Happy Birthday. I didn’t really have a gift for my mom this year; but I know she was very pleased with the way the day ended.

We stopped at the reception area on our hike back to our room. Cleared our tab and made it back to the room. It’s a clear sky tonight so we could see the stars. It seems like the Big Dipper is a little lower in the sky here, but maybe it’s just the time and the place.

Happy Birthday Mom! All the good I have in me is from you. I am honored to share this time with you. I love you!

Another wonderful breakfast to start the day. Mom and I are happy to be on the ground floor of this hotel. Much easier to find our room. Walk through reception, turn right, then left and there we are. Our view is overlooking the soccer field and of course, a church or two. I may have mentioned this before, but there has always been a learning curve with each hotel room. This one was no different. This was the first room where the door didn’t lock automatically. It wasn’t until this morning that I discovered the was a light above the bathroom mirror (it was a light strip that was a bit recessed—ended up hitting a switch I thought was for the hair dryer—poof! A light came on!). Not one hotel is the same.

After breakfast we closed up our bags and rolled them out to reception. Dropped off the key to our room and moved outside with more of the group. Sara indicated Sauro would be parking across the street (thank goodness) shortly. He arrived within minutes and we were tossing our bags into the storage. Our extra bag (duffel) went into “deep storage” as I was going to leave that with the bus for this set of nights.

Off we go on our journey to Assisi. To be clear, Lower Assisi first. This is where Francis of Assisi had a vision of Jesus Christ in a small chapel of San Damiano. Shortly after this he renounced his father and his patrimony; his father now was God and only God. He had renounced the riches of his family and now lived as a pauper. He would beg for stones to restore the chapel of St. Damiano’s. He spent several years rebuilding ruined chapels around the area. As time passed, Francis would spread the teachings of Christ to whomever would listen. In 1209 he and his 11 followers (friars) travelled to Rome to seek permission from Pope Innocent III to found a new religious order. After the Pope had a dream of Francis holding up the Basilica of St. John Lantern (the cathedral in Rome), he made the decision to endorse Francis’ order. This was the official found of the Franciscan Order.

It is documented that Francis had over 40 miracles attributed to him. Most were people who had died and then came back to life. Or there were medical miracles; such as a man who severely damaged one of his eyes; but appealed to his faith in St. Francis and his eye was instantly healed. Francis of Assisi died in 1226.

Ok, enough background for St. Francis. The first stop was at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi. Of course there was a bathroom break here. Public bathrooms cost money to use. This one was only ½ of a euro. The more interesting part was there were a couple of the military guards standing at the entrance of the bathroom. I understand they were there for the Basilica, but it does make one wonder when they are at the turnstile to get into the bathroom!

This basilica houses the small chapel of San Damiano. This chapel is the most sacred place for Franciscan monks. After St. Francis’ death, friars started building small huts around the chapel; then some adjacent buildings were constructed. As time passed, the small space was not enough to house all the pilgrims coming to the chapel. Pope Pius V ordered the buildings removed except for the Chapel of the Transito (the cell where St. Francis died) and the original chapel. In 1569 construction began on the basilica. The interior of the basilica is covered with frescos. It is a very solemn place and for the most part silent as there were several people there praying.

Mom and I walked around the basilica and marveled at the frescos. We went downstairs to view the cell in which St. Francis died. The entire basilica is such an amazing place. I don’t want to say I felt something there, but I certainly seemed to be more at peace while we were walking through the basilica.

After this somber tour, we met Sara and heading back for the bus. Our next stop? Upper Assisi. This is a hilltop town with steep streets and stairs. It was first founded around 1000 BC by the immigrants known as the Umbrians. Within 600 years, the area was taken over by the Etruscans and then the Romans about 200 years after that. The town would be overtake and ruled by many different kings over the following 1000 years. In the 13th century, the town began to expand outside the confines of the Roman walls. In the next century came the plague of the Black Death (1348) where over half of the inhabitants died.

Are you tired of the history lessons yet? I find myself wanting to learn more and more of these cities/towns. I promise I’ll not go on much more about this. Sauro drops us off in a parking lot outside the city (no buses are allowed in the city). We take an escalator up to the entrance of the city. From there we walk up/down hills to get to the Piazza del Comune. Sara walks us to the market where we pick up sandwiches and water for lunch. She then gives us our time to meet and location. We have about 1 ½ hours to explore the area.

It starts raining while we are eating our lunch. About half of our group stands under a wide arch to stay dry.

The rain continues and soon I hear thunder. The small squall blows over, so Mom and I walk to the piazza to the Temple of Minerva, which is now the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is very blue inside. A small church with a few painting and a statue of Mary behind the altar.

After taking a few moments of reflection, we exit the church and see the rain has returned again. We cross the piazza and seek cover under another arch. Finally we decide to strike out; rain or no rain. I had brought my umbrella so we did have that (for what it was worth…it barely covers one person much less two). We did a little shopping; rain and wind forcing us into shops we might not have considered otherwise. Ended up and a little shop that had desserts and gelato. Mom got a cannoli. I bought something that looked like a slice of cheesecake and also a little cream filled horn. Unfortunately we were disappointed in our purchase. Mom’s cannoli was either stale or just not what she expected. My slice of chocolate something was basically a inside of a truffle candy, but very firm. I needed a coffee or milk to go with it. The little cream filled horn was good.

We meet our group at the designated time under another arch at the piazza. It’s now raining very heavily and lightening flashes across the sky. We met our local guide and he talked for a little bit about Assisi and the history. Finally, the rain stops and we venture out to start the walk to the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi (St. Francis). The work on the basilica started shortly after St. Francis was canonized in 1228; completion was in 1253.

The walk to this basilica takes about 15 minutes. We stop along the way for our guide to point out certain building or give us pieces of the town’s history. It’s mostly downhill, some places very steep and the stones in the road slick from the recent rain.

We arrive at the basilica and are told no photos are allowed, or filming. Ok then. Understandable but disappointing. Guess I’ll need to find a book documenting the art contained within. Our guide brings us inside and starts expanding about the life of St. Francis. We viewed the crypt of St. Francis. St. Francis’ remains have been moved several times. During the last move in the 1970’s, they did some testing of his remains and determined he had died of a rare form of leukemia. He was only 44 when he died, after living a life of poverty and penance. He spent much of his time fasting and otherwise treating his body poorly.

We also took quite a while to view the frescos depicting the life of St. Francis. There were about 18 frescos starting from his birth to after his death. The tour took about 2 hours and there was so much information we were given I can’t even begin to recount it here. I have given a bit of it above (condensed for your reading pleasure).

After the tour was over, we used the bathrooms (again, costs to use, but still better than not having one to use!). I had to laugh; we walked past the men’s room which had no door on it and there was a huge window overlooking the valley below. The women’s restroom? A little tiny hole in the wall about 4×4 inches and some chicken wire covering the outer side to keep the birds out. While we were in there, one of our group told Sara she better talk to us quickly when we we back on the bus…because it was going to be a nap-fest very quickly. Sara laughed and said: “I know; I’ve already seen half of you yawning!”

We make our way to the bus (more downhill walking). We settle into our seats, do our buddy check, and off we go. The rain begins again in earnest; thunder and lighting are also there for a spectacular show. Sara started talking right away, giving us information about times for our wine tasting, dinner, and also our room names. Yes, names. We are in the “Wine” building and our room name is Malvasia. I don’t remember much after that. The ride from Assisi to our agriturismo was about two hours. I’m guessing most of us dozed for a least an hour or so on the way. The next thing I remember is Sara saying: “You’ll really be impressed with Sauro’s driving here!” And she wasn’t wrong. The town we traveled through had narrow roads and tight corners. Made it through without a scratch.

Arrival at the agriturismo is dampened by rain. Lots and lots of rain. Umbrellas up; we grab our bags and are directed to our rooms. Much to our surprise, this is more than a room. It’s like a one bedroom apartment. Full kitchen, separate bedroom and a nice bathroom. Also a secluded patio with a table and three chairs. It was time to start the dance of “what switch does what” which I believe we figured out fairly quickly. You do have to put the keycard into a slot to get the lights to turn on. Clever.

We freshened up and meet our group for a short tour and lesson on grape growing/wine making. Some I was familiar with after living in Dundee. One thing I didn’t know but was glad to learn was why there are rose bushes planted at the end of the rows of grapes. Apparently they are a barometer of how healthy the soil and the air is. If the rose start to become distressed, or show signs of disease, it tells the vineyard manager something needs to be adjusted. This is an old fashioned way of monitoring the vineyard; now they have other ways of testing the soil and the grapes.

After our brief lesson about the grapes, we walked to the olive oil processing area. The owners of this place purchased two years ago a olive processor to make extra virgin olive oil. It was smaller than I expected. There was no demonstration, just telling us about the process and the machine. Our guide is the husband of the owner, I got the impression he was more involved with the olive oil production than the wine production. Of course, they do have a winemaker who has been here about 10 years now.

Moving on from the oil room to the winemaking area. There are about 10 stainless steel vats in a large room, over half were full with either white or red wine from this year’s harvest. This winery does not produce a massive amount of wine. After we were educated on the process of making wine (some only processed in the steel vats and some is aged in oak barrels) we moved to the wine tasting room. Since I don’t drink wine, I simply observed. There were 4 glasses at each place setting; also some snacks to consume with the wine.

We spent about 30 minutes in the tasting room, and then walked to the restaurant for dinner. It was a set menu, so we just sat and waited for the courses to be served. It was all very good! During dinner Chelsea and Norm presented Sara with a massage gift certificate for here. She seemed truly surprised and honored.

The first course was Flan di Pecorino con Salsa di Piselli e finocchietto (Pecorino cheese flan with bean sauce and fennel). I was a little nervous about the bean sauce but it was all delicious!

The second course was Risotto alle Zucchine e Provala Affumicata (Zucchini risotto with smoked provola cheese). This was excellent! Am tempted to try this one at home.

The third and main course was Filetto di Maiale con Salsa al vino rosso e sfromatino di palate al timo (Pork fillet with red wine sauce and potatoes, thyme flan).

The fourth and final course was Cannolo Siciliano con Ricotta e Arancia Candita (Sicilian Cannoli filled with ricotta cheese and candied orange). It was much better than the one Mom had earlier in the day.

Of course by now it’s 9:30 and most of us are exhausted. We slowly leave the restaurant and some of us stop at the reservation desk to make appointments for our spa treatments tomorrow. Mom signed up for a manicure and I’m getting a facial.

We hike up the hill back to our room; watching lightening flash across the valley miles away. Mom and I sort our stuff and get things laid out for the morning. Breakfast served at 7:30!

This little agriturismo is the closest I’ve felt to home and it makes me a little more homesick; the grapevines are so familiar I can’t help but wonder what it’s doing at home. Are the leaves starting to turn now? I know the nights are getting colder at home…

Ciao Ciao!

The name Siena evokes childhood memories of the Crayola Crayons. Burnt Sienna was a color in the box of 64 if I remember correctly. The color comes from the earth pigment containing iron oxide and manganese oxide. When heated, it becomes reddish brown and called Burnt Sienna. The color was very common between the 16th and 19th centuries with painters such as Caravaggio and Rembrandt.

After nearly flooding the bathroom during our showers this morning (the shower leaks out water horribly onto the tile floor), we mosey over to the breakfast room. Not a huge selection, but they do have the requisite cereal, yougurt and pastries. Mom of course had her usual followed by a pain au chocolat. I carb loaded because, well, quite frankly I could. No eggs this morning, so I added some ham/cheese to my breads.

After breakfast we met outside the hotel for our morning tour. This morning we were off to a stained glass shop. It was about a 15-20 minute walk. Siena is full of uphill/downhill streets. There are a few where I thought I was never going to make it to the top. Proud to say I did!

This little glass shop was amazing. We were shown the steps from beginning to end. Our host Gianni explained how the glass was made (handmade, not industrial production). He showed us how glass was cut, how it was painted, then put together with lead and tin. This shop has provided stained glass windows around the world. Currently they are finishing up some windows for the church at Villanova. We saw the mock ups and it’s amazing.

After the stained glass tour, we met up with Donella who was our guide thru the Siena Duomo. I have been constantly amazed by our guides and the knowledge they have. I suppose I shouldn’t be. That’s why they are guides! This woman knew so much about the Duomo. She said until about 60 years ago, there was not much interest in Siena at all, but now there are restoration projects and research being conducted all around Siena. Construction on this Duomo started in 1196, but it wasn’t completed until 1348. The facade is a combination of French Gothic and Romanesque architecture.

The interior is a whole other story. There are columns with black and white marble stripes. The floor is all inlaid mosaic marble. There are 56 different panels created by many famous artists of the day.

We learned the floor is usually covered most of the year, but in September it is uncovered for a few weeks for viewing.

There is a small library called the Piccolomini Library. The room was never used as a library, but it is filled with frescos depicting events in the life of Pope Pius II. There are also song books for Gregorian chants.

Our guide took a little more time to explain about the pulpit. It was sculpted from Carrara marble in the mid 1200’s. The message in the carvings are concerning the doctrine of Salvation and the Last Judgement. This is the earliest remaining work in the Duomo.

The tour is over at this point. Mom and I exit the Duomo and start working our way back to the hotel. We stop a few places; first the shop where the glass works guys sell their wares. Might have picked up a pair of earring for myself and a Christmas ornament. Next we stopped at a book store that sold books in English. Mom had finished her book and was looking for another to read.

We returned to the hotel and sorted out our belongings. Started to repack our bags for our travel day tomorrow. Mom started reading her new book (she says it’s very good!) and we both might have drifted off to catch a little nap. Yes, we have been napping a lot. But we have also been walking a ton! Most days it’s over 10,000 steps. Today was less, but they were harder steps. Lots of uphill/downhill. Work those glutes!

We wandered out again around 5PM. Headed for the main piazza to find a place to eat and watch the people go by. We found a little place with front row seating. We are starting to get uninspired by Italian food. Mom had the Marhgerita pizza and I had the Four Cheese Pizza. Mom did get a “Coke Zero” which again wasn’t as good as Diet Coke, but it will do in a pinch. I stuck to water. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but in Italy they won’t just bring you a glass of water. Tap water is considered “tacky”. So you always get a bottle (usually a half or whole liter). And something else…when you eat outside, you get smokers. You see there is an ashtray on our table…when was the last time you saw that in the States? And there are a lot of smokers here. Every meal you get smoke blowing your way.

After dinner, we walked to Nanninis’ Gelato shop recommended to us by Sara. It’s only a few blocks from the hotel so it was a perfect place to stop for dessert. I had the chocolate and the vanilla chocolate chip. Mom had chocolate and mango. We met up with one of our group there; we sat and ate our gelato while watching the people walk by. Quite a nice evening indeed.

Back in our room again. Noting aches and pains from the walking…Naproxen for me and my aching knee. Also have multiple blisters on my littlest toes. Mom was mentioning some aches and pains from the hill walking today as well. I’m sure she will sleep well (as will I) and we will be ready to go again tomorrow.

Had a bit of a chat via text with my boss. Sounds like she might miss me a little bit. She gave me a wonderful gift of a photo of her and a couple of my teammates which (you guessed it), made me cry a little. It was good to see my friends from home!

Good night to all my friends and family! Te amo!

It was with great reluctance we left Monterosso al Mare this morning. Breakfast was wonderful, and our hosts were there to say goodbye as we filed out of the hotel. It was grey and threatening rain, but still…what a wonderful little town to spend a few days.

Our bags were carried to the train station for us. We climbed the stairs and waited for our train back to Levanto. Very muggy this morning. Sara had our tickets and we all hopped on the train for the 5 minute ride to Levanto. We walked to the parking lot to wait for Sauro and the bus. He was there in about 10 minutes from wherever he’d been. The bus was nice and cool. We all climbed aboard and settled in.

Sara waited about 10 minutes before starting to talk. Something about that bus makes you want to take a nap! I can’t watch out the front as there are way too many near misses. I’ve realized I’m better off not knowing what’s going on out there while Sauro is driving. Sara started to prep us for today’s activities. She also spent some time telling us about the Rick Steves organization. based out of Edmunds Washington, there are about 100 employees located there. Then there are about 170 European tour guides.

We arrived at San Gimignano around 11:30 and the sun was shining brightly. Very humid, but there was a nice breeze. San Gimignano is a medieval walled town. Originally it was just a small village in the 3rd century BC. In the 1st century AD, two brothers who fled from Rome built a castle here. As time went on, a walled village grew up around the castle and the church (somewhere in 6th or 7th century AD). It’s not as hilly as most towns, but there was still some climbing to do. We went to the Rocco overlook and took some photos of the hills below.

Then Mom and I did a little shopping before lunch. We found a table in the shade and ordered lunch. Mom had a breaded chicken fillet with fries. I had Crescione Terra (flat loaf filled with smoked ham and Brie cheese). Mom tried the local wine (only produced in San Gimignano).

After lunch we had gelato from the “World Famous Gelateria”. And it’s really world famous. The owner has won several contests around the world. There was a line out the door but it went very quickly. I had a small cup with Chocolate Gran Mariner and Tiramisu. Mom ordered the same thing. It was delicious.

We finished our gelato and started walking toward the gate we had entered earlier. It was all down hill, and there were numerous shops and places to eat. The restaurant next to the gate had half a wild boar (cooked) in the front window. Wild boar very popular in this region. The souvenir shops had little stuffed boars for sale; some of the shops had carved ones above their shop doors.

We waited about 15 minutes for Sauro to come pick us up. As per usual in Italy, there is a routine for the buses. He had dropped us off, and then had to go park the bus away from the town. Once we had gathered, Sara could call him after she got approval from the parking lot officer. Everything is a much slower pace here. We’ve learned to go with the flow. Some of the group are struggling with that, but for the most part we are traveling well together.

Our next stop is Siena. Another old city (originally settled by Romans in early AD. Those building are gone, but there is still plenty of old buildings here. Most are 800 years old and newer. The town piazza is more of a bowl shape, sloped down to one side. There is a fountain where the pigeons were drinking water from the spouts.

Here’s our room key. Most likely the biggest one we’ve had so far on the tour. I think this room is the first room that doesn’t lock automatically when you close the door.

At 5PM we met for beverages on the hotel patio. They served wine, water and some really great cookies that are called Ricciarelli. Already found the recipe and will be making them for Christmas!

At 5:30, our guide Annalisa arrived for a walking tour of Siena. We saw the first bank in Italy, built in the 1400’s. Siena is known for banking. It seems like there is a bank on every corner. Tomorrow I’ll be visiting one of those banks to find some more euros.

We continued our stroll thru Siena. Annalisa explained the tradition of the horse races here in Siena. To put it simply, there are 17 different “neighborhoods” in Siena. Each one has it’s own church, their own mascot and their own flag. The horse racing has been happening for hundreds of year. Each neighborhood hires a jockey for their horse and the horses race around the piazza. The winner gets a painted silk that is hung in the church until the next one is won. It sounds like quite the production and the race only lasts for about 1.5 minutes. But the city celebrates for months afterward.

We had dinner in the neighborhood who’s horse won this year…without a rider. This is considered even a greater win as there was no jockey to guide the horse. Dinner was 4 courses.

Course number one: Antipasto. Thinly sliced meats, cheese, and bread dipped in olive oil.

Course number two: Pasta with red sauce. The pasta was called picchi. Thicker then spaghetti. Very good!

Course number three: beef cubes and potatoes in a tomato sauce. Very good but heavy.

Course number four: ice cream dipped in dark chocolate.

We paced ourselves much better this evening. We weren’t miserable on the walk back to the hotel. Mom and I got back to the room and rested for a few minutes. Then I started working on the blog while she watched some TV.

Our eyes are heavy so it’s time for bed. Nice firm mattresses but flat pillows. No worries…the hotel provides extra pillows!

Ciao!

Today we were completely on our own. A vacation from our vacation! We slept in until 7 AM! How decadent! Had a nice shower (it’s a tiny bit bigger than the last few ones we’ve had. The bathroom window opens so you can hear the sea hitting the beach.

We have breakfast and I enjoy my first cappuccino of the trip. Mostly been sticking with green tea but I wanted to hear what all the excitement was about with coffee in Italy. It didn’t disappoint! Not bitter…so smooth! Sara had come to visit the hotel while we had breakfast so we had a nice chat with her. We picked up our clean bags of laundry and headed upstairs to admire it.

We ventured out of the hotel to do some shopping. This town is small so no chance of getting lost. Lots of little shops to go into; Mom bought a few things for the beach house. I shopped for a few new things to wear but nothing really worked out. We did find a cat to pet in our travels though!

Lunch was pizza. Sat outside on a small side street where the breeze was flowing nicely. Unfortunately I chose the chair under the oven exhaust fan. It didn’t deter from the fact the pizza was excellent. Mom had the Mahgerita pizza and I had the cheese, egg and bacon pizza. For dessert we shared a Nutella Marscapone Calzone. Sooo very good!

We head back to the hotel after lunch for a bit of a rest. We may have napped…I did work on my blog trying to upload photos and get it online. I think I’ve been successful so far today.

We skipped dinner tonight and just focused on packing our bags for the morning. It’s been a great day to rest and stare at the sea. Very calming. I did just check outside and it has been raining…it was supposed to rain all day today. We are both very happy it held off for us to enjoy this delightful town.

Until tomorrow!

I have come to enjoy travel days. We are all together as a group, and we have so much fun! This morning we were up early to get ready to make our way to CinqueTerra. Had a light breakfast; no tea for me today…just too hot and humid. Mom had her yogurt and granola and a sweet roll. Me; well…a slice of pound cake, a chocolate croissant, some scrambled eggs, ham and cheese. I’ve not quite figured out why there is so much dessert at breakfast here, but I’m not complaining.

We gathered at 8:20 and rolled our bags about 1/2 mile to meet the bus. What a sight we all make! 28 of us rolling bags down the streets of Florence; dodging bicycles, vans, taxis and Vespas. Sauro had the bus parked and bay doors open for us to deposit our bags. Norm (my buddy) always helps Sauro load the bags onto the bus. We all settle in and get ready for Sara to start her instructions for the day.

We first drove up high above the city so we could view it from above. What an inspiring sight. All the church towers, the domes, the river. Florence was nice, but crowded. I believe I failed to mention in yesterday’s blog about the protest we found ourselves observing. We heard singing, and yelling. There were the Polizia (who are the local police) giving way to a van and a lot of people marching behind the van. The van would stop, and a woman would speak on a bullhorn. People cheering her words. Then more singing. We watched for a few minutes and then decided we had had enough.

I digress. Shortly after leaving the city limits of Florence, we stop at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. Before we stopped, Sara asked us if any of us had heard of this cemetery. To a one of us; a resounding no. A little history: During World War II, as the Allies pushed back the Germans, temporary cemeteries were built. After the war, this particular piece of land was given as a cemetery by the government of Italy without charge or taxation. There are a little under 4400 soldiers buried here. They are buried here by either choice of the family, or family was never located. There is also a wall called the Tablets of the Missing which includes over 1400 names. Most of these soldiers were on bombers and their remains have yet to be found.

The gentleman who greeted us is named Angel Mato. He is retired US military and chose to serve at this cemetery. He gave a brief explanation of the crosses vs. the Tables of the Missing. He also said that because of advances in DNA testing they have recovered 90 of the missing soldiers. In front of the Tablets of the Missing, he asked one of us to read a letter written by a high school student who had done some research on one particular soldier. One of the women in our group read this letter, and there was not a dry eye in the house. It was a very sobering experience. We walked through the cemetery and got back on the bus.

Sara told us not to be embarrassed about not know about this cemetery. She said it was rare for someone on her tour to know about it. It still was a little disconcerting however.

On to Pisa we roll. It’s hot and humid there. Again, we walk. Must have been about 1/2 mile or so. The great thing about the Tower of Pisa is that there are several other things nearby to look at. We checked out the Baptistry and the Cemetery. Oh, and of course, the tower. So amazing to see in person. We did not walk up the tower. The tickets were sold out for the day. The Baptistery has amazing acoustics. They have a demonstration every half hour. One of the staff members sings for a minute and it’s incredible.

Mom and I walked down a nice street looking for lunch. We found a place to eat where the breeze was blowing nicely. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara, and Mom had the tagliatelle with ragu and a peach ice tea. We finished up and made it back to our meeting spot with time to spare. Sara had bought us a local favorite, Cecina, which is a flatbread made with chickpea flour, water, salt and olive oil. It was tasty and we each enjoyed a small slice.

We walked back to the bus where Sauro had the air conditioning on so the bus was nice and cool. It’s been humid since Venice so I enjoy the A/C whenever I can. We head for Levanto to the train station as buses cannot get into Monterosso Al Mare (the location of our hotels). Once off the highway, the road becomes twisting and turning, often just one lane. And steep. Sauro is fearless. We always cheer for him when we reach our destination. It’s not as if he’s driving a Fiat. He’s driving a full size bus!

We arrive at Levanto and drag our bags to the train station; saying our thanks you and good-bye’s to Sauro. Sara has already purchased our tickets so all we have to do is get on the train. We get to the platform and have to hop on the train immediately. We squeeze in as we are getting off at the next stop.

Sure enough about 5 minutes later the train is stopping at Monterosso al Mare and we are fighting to get off the train. Fortunately we were traveling as a pack so no one could go against the tide to get in. We drag and/or carry our bags out of the station and wait for our luggage conveyance to arrive.

The group is split between two hotels that are owned by the same family. Our hotel, Hotel Pasquale, is right down near the water. The other hotel is located up the hill a bit. Two separate vehicles show up, one is a taxi (van) and the other is a little black and green 3 wheeled Cushman like truck with a flatbed on the back. The driver hops out and begins loading luggage in the back like it’s a game of Tetris. He’s full up, so off he goes.

We walk across town to our hotels. Sara drops off the first group at our hotel. We are given empty plastic bags as we walk in. This is where we can have our clothes washed and dried. Funny to think we are excited about laundry. And we didn’t have to do it ourselves. Yes, it’s 18 euro per bag, but well worth it. We get up to our room (on the second floor) and as usual, I open the windows; in this case it’s doors. We have a small patio that overlooks the water and has a tiny table to sit at. We also discover a smaller door and find that it goes out to a larger patio with a small table and two chairs.

Mom and I can hardly tear ourselves away from the doors. But I knew if we wanted our clothes washed we better get them sorted quick. So we dump everything out and start filling our bags with lights and darks. I was out of socks, so I wore my hotel slippers downstairs to drop off our clothes. Back up to the room we go so we can stare outside some more. We settled into our room and rest until we had to meet for dinner.

Fortunately the restaurant is only steps away from the hotel. It’s not really a restaurant anymore. But the others of our hotel prepares a traditional dinner for this area. Our hosts started off by making pesto from scratch. With mortar and pestle. It took about 20 minutes for her to do, and it was delicious!

Our first course was Pesto Lasagne. Very simple and a great Vegetarian option if you go that way. Our second course was fish with a small side salad. Not sure exactly what, but Sara said it was like a sea bass. I had a few bites and couldn’t eat any more. So I ate more bread.

Dessert was a custard half frozen, half not with chocolate drizzle. Served with it was a digestive, unknown what kind. I believe it was a very strong wine, but served basically as a shot.

We get back to our room by 9PM and start thinking about going to bed. We did have a bit of a FaceTime chat with family back home: Dad, Louie, Doug and Luke. I don’t think we realized how much we missed them until we saw them all!

Lights out and off to bed we go…the sound of the sea lulling us to sleep.

We slept well. The beds here are firm but you still kind of sink into them a little. Every room so far has had two twin beds next to each other, except this one, which has three twins. We are settling into a routine where Mom gets up first and showers/gets ready. When she is done in the bathroom I’ll get up and get ready. This morning was no exception. Mom was glad to have her slippers back as the floors here are marble and cool to the touch.

We have a light breakfast and join our group at 8:15. We walk about 15 minutes to the Uffizi Gallery. It was uncertain until this morning if we would even be able to enter as the workers there were contemplating striking today. Fortunately for us, that didn’t happen. This was one place Mom wanted to visit and was looking forward to seeing. Thank goodness she got her wish.

We were met at on the front steps by Paul, our guide through the gallery. An Italian who spent a lot of time in New York, including going to college and earning his Masters in Italian Art History. He has a very unique method of guiding…he asks questions to engage you and make you think. As we were standing in front of a painting of Mary and the Baby Jesus painted in 1480, it suddenly became clear why art was so fascinating. We didn’t view every piece of art, on about 5 or 6. But his explanations and dialog with our group were very thorough.

We said good bye to Paul on the roof of the Uffizi Gallery. Since we had the day to ourselves we walked to the Basilica di Santa Croce. $8 euros to enter. And wow…does it take your breath away! I had to sit down for about 5 minutes and catch my breath. The stained glass windows. The tombs. The carvings. And it’s huge! Well yes, I did say Basilica didn’t I? I can’t image it being full.

We walked around for about an hour and then decided to walk back to the hotel; stopping to eat lunch along the way. We ate outside so we could watch the people. I ordered the Gnocchi with 4 cheeses. Mom had the 4 cheese pizza. She asked the server how big the pizza was, the server says: “for one” and indicates the size with her hands is about 5 inches across. Our lunch arrives and my serving is perfect. Mom’s pizza; it’s the size of her plate! At least 9 inches across. That’s the last time we believe a server about the size of a pizza! That being said, it was good. I helped her eat it but we still couldn’t eat all of it.

Finished walking back to the hotel; we rested for a few hours. Yes, we both napped. We were exhausted! Not only the walking, but the things we saw and learned today. I think our brains are about ready to explode! I’m not complaining by any means, but just processing what you’ve seen and heard can be overwhelming.

Around 5 we ventured back out to see if I could find a bag to carry my stuff in other than a backpack. We stopped at the front desk to see if someone would look at our AC unit since it didn’t seem to be working. The young lady there assured me she would go take a look while we were out.

There is so much to do and see in Florence. The afternoon walk yesterday gave us the lay of the land, but I was still grateful for Google Maps today. We made our way back to the Market and walked down aisles and aisles of vendors. Most of them had the same items: leather handbags, leather belts, shawls/scarfs, cheap trinkets, some clothing for both men and women, and t-shirts/hats. I found my new bag after about 10 minutes of walking up and down the rows. I was also looking for a new blouse or shirt to wear but nothing jumped out at me.

We then walk to Coin which is a department store that reminded me of Macy’s. You walk in and are assaulted by women wanting to spray perfume on you. We looked for some clothing there for me as well, but it was all winter stuff. That’s not an option!

Started walking back towards the hotel again but stopped at a grocery store to pick up a few things. I was running low on shampoo and really wanted a different brand of mousse for my hair. Found the same brands I use at home, which was reassuring. Not complete sure about the mousse as I don’t read or speak Italian. Guess we shall find out tomorrow.

Making it back to the hotel; following the maze to get to our room. It’s really quite funny. You take an elevator from the street level to the reception area. Then you take a left and walk down a hallway, turn right, then left and the elevator is there to take you to the 3rd floor. When you get to the 3rd floor, you turn right and walk down a hall until you reach a door with a push handle on it. Go thru that door and down 6 steps. Then thru another security door (code 5555) and you are entering the hallway where our room is located. Take a left and then a right and go straight. We’re the first door on the right after the lounging area. CRAZY! But I love it!

Our air conditioning is now working. Come to find out one of our windows was not completely closed. The AC unit wouldn’t come on. The young lady at the desk was probably thinking “dumb Americans”. But I’m pleased it’s working again as it’s very humid here today.

We ate dinner in our rooms, just some salami and cheese with a couple cookies for dessert. We are getting organized for our travel day tomorrow. Apparently by bus and train. With a stop at Pisa somewhere in the middle.

Thank you to all of you reading this and keeping up with our journey. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read what I’ve written. I am blessed to have such caring family and friends.

Buon Notte!

We slept much better last night. I was still up a little later than I wanted, but we both felt well rested. Breakfast was good. I suppose I should add more fruit or something healthier, but for some reason, those sweets just call my name…

We gather in the lobby of the Hotel Ala at 8:15 per Sara. We are told we are taking a water taxi instead of the vaparreto; much easier. Apparently the vaparreto that early in the morning would have take over an hour to get to the mainland. The water taxi was supposed to arrive at the hotel, but apparently they got stuck behind a larger boat. So we walked a short distance to meet them on the Grand Canal.

The water taxi is definitely the way to go to see Venice. Not a cost efficient option, but much better views and not as noisy. It was about a 15 minute ride to the transfer station to pick up the bus. Sara had received a call from Sauro who told her the bus wouldn’t start this morning. When we reached the terminal; she went to search out the bus situation. We waited about 30 minutes; upon her return, we learned the bus was running again! Sara handled it all with aplomb; as it if happened every day.

We pile on the bus, say good morning to Sauro and settle into our seats. Sara begins the chat about Florence and the plan for today and tomorrow. The only worry is the Uffize gallery. The workers there may or may not be on strike tomorrow when we are supposed to visit. Mom is disappointed because that’s the main sight she wanted to see in Florence (she has seen most others on her previous visit. We wont know until tomorrow if we get to go in or not. But Sara came round and chatted with us all individually to see what our plans were and offer suggestions if needed.

As we are leaving the terminal, we see some Gondoliers rowing right next to the bridge we upon which we are traveling. As we learned at Franco’s shop yesterday they are probably practicing for the races.

We had a snack and bathroom break at another nice place on the AutoStrada. Mom found a “Coke light” (not as good as Diet Coke she assured me) and a snack bar that looked like it belongs to a squirrel, not a human. I found a protein bar and some cold water. I can’t believe I was hungry again! But Sara assured us we would need fuel for the afternoon ahead. More walking!

We arrived in Florence around 1PM. In typical fashion, we are dropped off about 1/2 mile from the hotel in a scramble in the middle of a side street. We grab our bags and start dragging them down the sidewalk. It takes us about 15 minutes to get to the hotel. The name of the hotel is Hotel California.

When we arrive, not all of our rooms are ready. So we drop our bags and split up. Mom and I walked to a local market about 6 blocks away with Shirley and Margaret from the group. Lots and lots of leather here in Florence. Apparently it’s their thing. Also inventing gelato was another one of their things.

Walking back to the hotel around 2:30 and our rooms are ready. We freshen up and meet Sara and the group back downstairs at 3:30 to commence our 2 hour walking tour. A short walk around the Duomo and a gelato revives our spirits and we are ready to take on David.

The Acedemia Museum is about a block from our hotel. It’s a small museum compared to some of the others, but the show stopper is Michelangelo’s David. 17 feet in height and carved out of one piece of marble. Truly a wonder. And apparently Michelangelo was in his early 20s when he carved it. Quite amazing for sure.

After viewing David, Mom and I went back to the room and I washed a few pieces of clothing for tomorrow. I’ve been wearing the same pair of pants for 3 days now and they can almost stand on their own. My final chore of the evening will be to put a hair dryer to them.

At 7:15 we gather to walk to the restaurant for dinner. It’s about an 8 minute walk, but of course we are slow because there are always stragglers. We get there and are seated at three tables. Sara introduces us to the owner/chef, and his assistant.

Our first course is 3 different kinds of pasta. Penne, ravioli, and gnocchi. I preferred the gnocchi overall, Promised myself I would not eat it all, but it couldn’t be helped. So very good!

The next course was a small salad. Just a little basalmic vinegar was all that was needed. I just keep telling myself…pacing is everything.

As we are finishing our salads, the chef rolls out a cart with a huge piece of beef on it. And he lights it on fire! We didn’t know this would be happening. Fire for dinner…neat!

The chef proceeds to slice up the rack of meat and everyone (except the vegetarians) had a slice. It was pretty rare in the middle, so I just ate around that part. It had excellent flavor. Served with the beef was roasted potatoes.

Finally, a dessert cart is rolled out. We had choice of one (or two) from a cart full of sweets. I opted for the Tiramisu and Profiteroles. Mom had just the Almond Cake. All were delicious!

And of course, to finish up the evening, there was limoncello or grappa. The limoncello was delicious, and quite strong. It was served in tiny frozen glasses.

We followed Sara back to the hotel. I can’t believe how crowded the streets are at night…and it’s a Thursday! I can’t image tomorrow night! Turning in now…another busy day tomorrow!

Buon Notte!