We got back home tonight about 11:45 p.m. It was a long drive back but we made it. A special thanks to GLP for cleaning and gassing up the van -- you went above and beyond the call of duty bro. All in all, this was a great trip and we hope to do italy again in the near future. The last picture to be posted will be one of us throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure our return to Roma. Arrividerchi.

Well today was our last full day in Italy. We absolutely loved the Cinque Terre, loved Roma, and Florence was o.k. We will miss the walks hand in hand, the gelato, and everything else about this wonderful place. Americans could learn a lot about how to really live their lives if they spent a few weeks in Italy. The last thing we did tonight was throw two euros each into the Trevi Fountain to ensure our return to Rome someday. We can't wait. Fortunately, we will be able to savor the memories of this trip for a very long time, and relive all of the great experiences we've had. Until our next trip, this is Wayne and Sue signing off.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Well, today was our first day in the Cinque Terre. Getting there involved three different trains and getting the luggage on and off each one. We now appreciate the concept of traveling light. The room here is beautiful. We have our own room with a private rooftop terrace. Now if only the weather will cooperate. Today was partly cloudy but all in all quite nice. We got lots of pictures and were able to see four of the five towns. The only unfortunate thing is that the trails are closed due to landslides, so no hiking for us. We had a great dinner tonight that started with stuffed anchovies and ended with a taste of the desert wine available in this region. Delicious. No internet tonight, so we will have to post this tomorrow or Sunday. Until then, Caio.

Saturday, June 19, 2010


Today was our second day in the Cinque Terre. It is a tribute to this wonderful place that it was raining off and on for most of the day and will still had a great time. We toured Monterosso today and walked as many of the trails we could. We even got in the water at the beach in Monterosso, and it was not as cold as expected. Its amazing how much time we spent just wandering around the towns and taking pictures of beautiful sights. If the trail had of been open, we wouldn’t have spent nearly as much time in the towns. We decided that we have to come back to hike the trails. We could definitely spend three or four days here if the trails were open and it was beach weather. I promised Sue we would come back soon. It would definitely be worth a second trip. Well, tomorrow we head back to Rome for our last night in Italy. Until then, that’s all for now.

Well, yesterday was a day for art historians. We probably saw at least 3 different art galleries in Florence. By the end it became clear that we were not art history buffs as we spent much of our time looking for dogs in the paintings we saw. We also saw Galileo's Museum, which had all of his old instruments as well as his finger. Florence is so different than Rome. At this time of year it is filled with high school students taking organized tours. That detracts a little from its allure. The last thing we did was place a lock on the railing by the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and threw the keys in the Arno (our apologies to the conservationists). This is a tradition started by Italian youth as a way to show a love that will last forever. Today we're off to the Cinque Terre. Hope the weather is good. Wayne and Sue out.

Well, today was the day Wayne finally got to ride a bike in Tuscany. It rained a little bit but all in all it was a great day. Sue rode the whole way, and even showed some natural talent as a climber. The bike tour was combined with a winery tour which was an interesting combination, although Sue said the wine lowered her fear factor for the last half of the ride. Wayne had the pleasure of outriding two teenage boys, and everyone else but the tour leader. The pictures we are posting are from the ride and the wine tasting and should give you a feel for what we saw and the kind of food we ate. Because we are dog lovers (as are some of the readers of this blog) we had to include the picture of the winery owner's dog in his wallpapered palace. That's all for now.

Today was our first full day in Florence. It started out raining but cleared as the day went on. We started out climbing the Duomo's Dome, 460 steps to the top, but a great view of Florence makes it worth it. Then we went to the Central Market where we saw all types of produce. The Florintines's must really like tripe (cow stomach) because there sure was a lot of it at the market. We finished up the day by seeing more sculptures, touring the gardens of a palace, and having a great dinner with probably too much wine. That explains the shortness of this post along with its general lack of cohesiveness. That's all for now.

Well, we left Rome and moved on to Florence today. What a difference between the two cities. Florence seems much more touristy and you notice a lot more American's than you did in Rome. Took the train from Rome this morning. The only hitch was the departure information was only for the trains final destination, so you had to figure out what train you were supposed to be on by the numbers. Didn't have a problem though and the train ride itself was lovely. Went to a couple of Markets today, as well as touring Santa Croce Church, which contains the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. Well, that's all for now, it's almost midnight and we need to get to bed.

Well, today we actually slept in until 8:30. Then we went to the Porte Portese Market, which must have been the largest market we had ever seen. We walked in one direction for over an hour with no end in sight. Sue bought a dress, a top, a pair of shoes and a necklace and was very happy with her purchases. In the afternoon we toured the Borghese Galleria and saw wonderful sculptures by Bernini. We then got our train tickets to Florence and went to dinner. It appears we have become somewhat snobbish, in that we were annoyed by the fact that there were other Americans eating at the restaurant we went to and the wait staff spoke English.
Major contrast to last nights dinner which was clearly the highlight of the places we have eaten. We will report tomorrow from Florence; that's all for now.

Well today was the day for Ancient Rome. The pictures you see are from the Colosseum, the Forum, and the steps leading to the Capitoline Museums (designed by Michelangelo nonetheless). Had a great time today and saw a lot of sights. So impressed by the fact that everything hear is at least twice as old as anything in the U.S. The workmanship that went in to the Colosseum and the Forum is amazing. We had a great dinner tonight at a place where no one spoke English. Managed to squeak by based upon my Rocket Italian Course. Was even able to ask them to call me a cab and tell the driver where to take us all without using English. I'm getting more relaxed about it now but I sure know how people in our country feel that don't speak the language. I greatly appreciated the patience everyone has shown toward us and our inability to communicate effectively in Italian. Well, its almost 12:30, and we need to go get a drink before we go to bed. That's all for now.

It was a long day today. Left the hotel at 7:45 a.m. and got back at 11:30 p.m. Took 150 pictures at the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's until the camera battery died. The Vatican Museum was really cool, lots of neat sculptures and frescoes. The Sistine Chapel was fabulous. The highlight of the day had to be the Scavi Tour. They took us under St. Peter's Basilica where we saw a working archeological dig and the remains of St. Peter. Very, very cool. Then we went up the 320 steps to St. Peter's Dome. Thats more of a workout than we get at home! Finished up the day with a nice dinner and a store that gave us free limoncello samples (six to be exact). It must have loosened us up because we bought a bottle to bring back home. Well, now its time to call it a day. Tomorrow is Ancient Rome. Talk to you all soon.

After our nap we took the recognizance walk recommended by the hotel. We saw the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Santa Maria del Popolo Church, the Fountain of the Four Rivers, the Trevi Fountain, and other spots that I can't think of right now. Ate dinner right across from the Fountain of the Four Rivers (outside). The ambiance could not be beat. We really seemed to get our bearings after getting some rest; we were able to follow the map and get everywhere we wanted to go without getting lost. I guess my plan of touring the entire day without a siesta was just too ambitious. Well, thats all for now.

Well we are here in Roma. The flight was quite an adventure because a woman who was on drugs and alcohol (and probably had psychological problems) went crazy on the plane and had to be restrained with a passengers duct tape. She was yelling and hollering and made it difficult for us to get a decent sleep. Consequently, by about noon in Rome we were dead to the world. It's 3:30 now and I just woke up from a two hour nap. Not sure what we will do the rest of the day. So far we've seen Santa Maria degli Angeli, which used to be part of the Roman Baths, and is now a beautiful basilica. That's all for now.

Well, we made it to the airport. My biggest fear did not come to pass and Sue's Honda made it without a hitch. Just think, in a little more than 2 hours we will be taxiing on the runway on our way to Italy. Big thank you to GLP for getting us to the airport and letting us park our car at his place. It was definitely the right move to fly out of Dulles instead of dealing with several plane changes. We will be back on tomorrow night with a post about our first day in Rome. Until then ....