Trip in Review: Sarah's Take

Well, it looks like John took the easy road on this one! I certainly can't duplicate, so I've taken a different spin on the lists. This was a fun trip full of surprises and lessons learned.

Things I Learned on Vacation (either because of it, or in spite of it)

• The best places to shop are the markets and bakeries.
• Sleep is not overrated.
• On the weekend, be sure to make dinner reservations.
• Take full advantage of sea days to recharge your batteries.
• Live a little...it's okay to return to the ship at the last minute. (As long as you do indeed return.)
• Don't be cheap--try out the specialty restaurants.
• Make the most of your time in port. Check out the must see sites and the roads less traveled.
• Always, always, always have snacks on hand.
• Download and use the free Rick Steves audio tours (and preview them).
• Do your homework ahead of time--have at least a little background knowledge before visiting a new city or site.
• It's okay to "waste" a day in port. Relax and take cues from the locals. Get caught up in what they do, not what the tourists do.
• Embrace the people you meet during your trip (locals and tourists). Make new friends!
• Participate in activities on the ship (other than happy hours and spa treatments). Go to trivia and other contests.
• If you plan to stimulate the economy, share the wealth. Don't save souvenir shopping until the last minute (and last city).
• Must-haves include: Rick Steves books, journal or notebook, MP3 player, clothing for layering.
• Take full advantage of Cruise Critic for--organizing tours, transportation, and learning more about the ship and ports of call.
• Regardless of your planning, truly take to the heart the suggestions of those who know best (owner of the B&B you're staying in, etc.).
• Invest in the appropriate RS phrase books. They're worth their weight in gold, especially when ordering from Italian only menus!

Top 5 Gelato Flavors

1. Salted Caramel

2. Limoncello

3. Biscotti

4. Melon

5. Nutella

Travel Tips

• Venice, Italy: Get lost...literally.
• Florence, Italy: Enjoy the gelato, it's the best. Seriously, find out if you'll be there during the gelato festival and check it out if you can. (We missed it by a week.)
• Rome, Italy: Check out local listings before visiting. Find out what the locals are doing and try to participate or observe.
• Santorini, Greece: Do not use the donkey stairs.
• Istanbul, Turkey: Use the public transportation system. It's easy and will make your life significantly easier.
• Kusadasi, Turkey: When on a tour, don't allow yourself to get roped into going to a carpet shop (or leather shop, or any other type of shop) with the promise (yeah right) that there is no pressure to buy anything.
• Athens, Greece: Get to the Acropolis first, like as soon as they open. You'll notice a huge difference in the crowds between the time you arrive and the time you leave.
• Mykonos, Greece: Take the time to people watch. If you don't go to the beach, be sure to at least dip your feet in. You can't travel to the Med and not put your feet in it!
• Amalfi Coast, Italy: Take your time exploring the towns along the coast. Don't pack your day so full so that you're rushed out of them before you've had your fill.

Photo Superlatives

Best Reminder of Home (Venice, Italy)

Italy's version of the Nittany Lion.

Best Reason to Visit Italy (Florence, Italy)

Nothing beats a cone of gelato while people watching.

Best Reason for Chiropractor Visit upon Return Home (Rome, Italy)

The best pieces to check out are always on the ceiling.

Best Reason to Miss the Ship (Santorini, Greece)

Really, the only reason to miss the ship is the view here.

Best Combination of Art and Worship (Istanbul, Turkey)

Intricately painted tiles show off the handiwork of Turkish artists while the sliver in the dome indicates the direction to Mecca for worshiping.

Most Serene Moment (Hills above Ephesus, Turkey)

Mass in Latin, solemn walk through the House of the Virgin Mary, drink of healing water, and finally a simple, powerful prayer.

Most Accurate Depiction of Our Thoughts on Ruins (Athens, Greece)

Yes, even when you think they've ended, the ruins continue, even through that small opening. Not just this time, but every time!

Best Place to be a Pirate (Mykonos, Greece)

Nameless, identical streets are only part of the maze which deterred pirates from invading and looting in this cozy, beautiful town.

Saddest (Pompeii, Italy)

Not only the end of the road for our trip, but quite literally shows the devastating end of a flourishing civilization (look carefully for the area where wheel ruts begin and end, where road reconstruction stopped when Vesuvius erupted).

Best Representation of Driving in Italy (Amalfi Coast, Italy)

Narrow, windy roads with tunnels and cliffside impeding the ability to detect oncoming traffic...I'm glad we let Mario do the driving!

I'm so very happy we chose to write this blog together. Now we'll always have something to remind us of our trip! We had a great time, no regrets, and I'm ready for another vacation already!

Trip In Review: John's Take

Sitting back at home relaxing with our dog sleeping nearby, I've been pondering the experience that we just had.  To start off, it was, without a doubt, the best vacation of my life and one of the best overall experiences I have ever had.  We learned a stunning amount about the history of the world and saw sights which I have had pictured in my head since I was a young child.  We made new friends, relaxed (just a little bit), and enjoyed wonderful cuisine both on land and on the cruise ship.  I found Italy to be a most amazing country and hope we get to return there many times over the course of our lives.  The cruise itself was also wonderful, both the ship and the staff.


I am not as capable at writing these posts as Sarah is (as you may have noticed), and have decided to sum up my experience with two lists.  The first one is a list of my rankings of each place we visited in terms of how much I enjoyed each.  The second is in terms of how much I would like to go back to each place.  There is actually quite a bit of difference between these two lists.


So, here we go.  First, the rankings for enjoyment of each place we went:

1. Istanbul, Turkey - The history of this city was fascinating with an almost unending supply of top notch museums/buildings.  The only let downs were the Grand Bazaar, and to a lesser extent, the Bosphorus cruise.  The overnight stay really let Istanbul shine.
2. Venice, Italy - A charming city.  Even the touristy areas were not overwhelmingly busy when we were there, and once we got off the beaten path, Venice was even more amazing.
3. Naples, Italy (Amalfi Coast and Pompeii) - The Amalfi Coast was stunning.  The scenery was unbelievable, and the towns, particularly Ravello, were beautiful.  Pompeii was a worthwhile stop, even with our fatigue of ruins at that point.
4. Athens, Greece - This proud country shined when depicted through the history of Athens.  The Acropolis was a sight to behold.
5. Florence, Italy - Our two days in Florence were delightful.  The town was so easy to walk around in, and we were never at a loss for good food.
6. Rome, Italy - Of course the Vatican and the Colosseum lived up to their billing.  But Rome was so much more hectic and busier than Venice and Florence, and after four days of the freedom of walking almost everywhere, having to rely on the metro was a bit of a let down.
7. Kusadasi, Turkey (Ephesus) - Ephesus was probably the best of the many ruins of the trip.  The House of the Virgin Mary was very spiritual. Kusadasi itself was forgettable.
8. Santorini, Greece - This ranking is deceiving.  Santorini is beautiful (almost as much so as the Amalfi Coast), but we were rushed due to the short time in port and the time consuming process of getting back to the cruise ship.
9. Mykonos, Greece - It was a nice place to relax and stroll, but nothing about Mykonos really popped.  I think this is just on cruise ship itineraries because it is a popular resort destination and it is easy to get to for ships.

Now, the rankings for which places I would most like to return to:

1. Venice, Italy - I could wander around Venice for a week without getting tired of it.  It would probably be even better since we could almost totally stay out of the major tourist areas (Rialto, Saint Mark's).
2. Naples, Italy - While I wouldn't go back to Pompeii, I could similarly spend a week in the Amalfi Coast without getting tired of it.  There are also many other points reachable from Naples which I would like to see (Capri, Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius, Naples itself).
3. Rome, Italy - Our two days in Rome were severely constrained by the large number of must-see sites which limited our ability to just explore, in addition to the lackluster weather on Sunday.  I think Rome could really make an impact on a return visit.
4. Santorini, Greece - I would like to return to Santorini for either a longer stay in port or, ideally, for a few nights in a hotel.  I could just sit in Oia for hours and hours and stare at the caldera and then the sunset.  I'd also like to explore the island.
5. Florence, Italy - There are quite a few more things in Florence I would like to see and do, but of our three overnight stays in Italy this one was the one which felt the most comprehensive and complete.
6. Athens, Greece - We had a busy day which covered most of the major sites.  Athens would be a good return visit as a jumping off point for other locations in Greece and to pick up anything we missed.
7. Istanbul, Turkey - Our whirlwind trip to Istanbul saw us visit almost every site I have interest in there.  The notable exception is the Mosque of Suleman the Magnificent.  The pushy nature of the shopkeepers there (not just in the Grand Bazaar) also really limits my interest in returning.
8. Mykonos, Greece - I enjoyed it, but the only reason I would want to go back to Mykonos is to try out their famous beaches, but there are many other places that also have famous beaches.
9. Kusadasi, Turkey - I got everything I needed to out of Ephesus and the other ruins.

Some of these rankings above have a very fine line between them, particularly in the first list.  Every port was excellent.  It was the trip of a lifetime.  Hopefully one of many.  I am glad we decided to chronicle our journey in this blog for everyone to read and for our personal record.  I hope you enjoyed reading it.  Until our next trip, arrivederci!

Home sweet home

One final early morning wake up call on the Celebrity Equinox marked the beginning of the end. Ok, I won't be so dramatic. How about just the beginning of the last day of the best vacation we've had. Better? I hope so, because it only goes downhill from here, kids!


A quick look at the iPhone (before 6am) and I knew we were in for a long day. One US Airways plane goes from Philly to Rome, then back again, daily. That's it, no more than that. The outbound flight from Philadelphia was delayed (for maintenance), which in turn delayed our return flight by more than three hours. I can think of about a million other things I'd rather do than spend an extra three hours in the Rome airport (like wandering through the city), but I certainly didn't have a choice. On the bright side, we had the opportunity to catch up on posts and email. Not a complete loss, but it definitely brought us back to reality more quickly than we would've liked.


Side note: disembarkation from the ship was the best I've ever seen. We were dismissed as we arrived at our waiting area, luggage was ready to go, and we were happily surprised to see our driver waiting for us 40 minutes early.


Once we boarded the plane everything went fairly smoothly. In an attempt to quickly adjust back to East Coast time, we tried to stay awake during the flight. Surprisingly, I was the successful one. Movies certainly helped with that. Customs was a breeze, but the the whole process of gathering checked luggage and going through security again is not my idea of fun. It's especially tiresome when you're running on essentially no sleep and you have to meander through the mazes of construction in one of the world's worst airports. Ok, I'm being dramatic again. It wasn't that bad, but I just wanted to sleep! We had plenty of time between flights. This was mostly due to John's thoughtful planning and partially due to our flight to State College being delayed (weather).


After a long day of traveling, it was so nice to see Mary Ann's familiar and smiling face. Special thanks to her for picking us up very late in the crappy weather. Of course after seeing my friend I got my second wind. Not an ideal time for it, I know. So, I took full advantage of it and unpacked. Once the luggage was empty, laundry sorted, and washer set to begin in the morning, it was finally time for bed. I'm looking forward to a Waffle Shop breakfast and my dad bringing Glorydog back in the morning. Looks like it's back to the real world for us!

The Grand Finale

Today was a bittersweet day. We've had so much fun on our trip, but we're also ready to be back in the comfort of our own home. We've made wonderful new friends we won't see every day anymore, and we'll resume the craziness of life at home. With all this in mind, we began with another early day. After meeting Carol, Denise, Nick, and Fontaine at the bar, we made our way to the gangway and found our handsome Italian driver, Mario. After a few minutes in the van, I was again reminded that no one could pay me enough to drive in these cities!

The plan was to take in the Amalfi Coast via a van ride (with Johnny's Tour Service), while stopping a few times to explore and take pictures. I'll be honest. When we got in the van and began to drive I was disappointed. The weather forecast included fog through the day, and it certainly didn't help our tour! However, the fog slowly began to burn away which made viewing (and picture taking) much more enjoyable. The scenery along the way was like nothing I've ever seen before. After a relatively short drive through Sorrento and a few stops for photos along the Coast, we ended up in Positano. Of course the town was gorgeous, but also had a quaint sophistication about itself. We wandered and stumbled upon an old ornate chruch, which is still used today. A few of us ventured down to the beach. I think it was the most stunning view we saw all day. This shot from the beach, up the cliff is just amazing! It almost looks like the buildings are just stacked on one another. Positano had some super cute shops, but I was more impressed with the bakery. I got a meringe cookie the size of my hand for €1.50! It was almost like being in Venice again, but without the canals and with a very steep hill to climb.

From Positano we traveled to Amalfi Town. We had the most time to explore here, and I'm glad! After some window shopping, John whippped out his handy dandy Rick Steves book and found that the oldest paper mill (now museum) in Europe, Museo della Carta, was just a short distance away (uphill, of course). We made it up the hill just in time to join in with a tour that had recently begun. To watch the paper making process was interesting, and the old presses and tools were ancient! Well, maybe not literally, but does that even matter? Once we finished the tour, we rejoined the touristy area of the town, stimulated the economy, indulged in some pizza and much needed gelato (I couldn't help it. After being spoiled with it for an entire week, I was jonesin' for it!), and met up with our group in time to board the van for our next stop. As you may or may not know, this particular area of Italy is known for many things: ceramics, beautiful coastline, citrus fruits, and of course...limoncello! In true Nick fashion, a decent sized bottle was purchased, and it was gone (with everyone's help) by the time we arrived in Pompeii. But I digress...back to the tour!

The final town we visited was the highest we traveled, Ravello. To this point, most of the scenery looked similar. But, as we climbed the cliffside, we were awestruck. Terrace upon terrace layered the landscape with farms of many types: vinyards, olive trees, citrus trees, and even some shepherds with their herds of sheep. This town was much less crowded (and less touristy). We attempted to make the most of our time there, but we had less than an hour. We found a few treasures (both to bring home and to visit), and look forward to exploring more at some point in the future. The end of our tour here began our decent down the cliffside.

We arrived in Pompeii and allotted two hours for the tour (even though RS says three hours). There's only so much you can accomplish during the time you're in port. However, we had all seen so many ruins throughout the trip that we weren't exactly jumping with joy to trip over more, and some were already dragging from exploring three other towns prior. Not to mention that some more than others were feeling mighty fine after polishing off that bottle of limoncello! John played tour guide with his RS book and led us to the major sites throughout Pompeii. He did a good job; we all returned to the ship in one piece having learned something new. We saw the theatre, fast food joints, the largest home in Pompeii, and the most visited attraction: the brothel. As we exited, we finally captured a phenomenal picture of Mt. Vesuvius, the reason this site is so famous. One last look at the distant volcano and so came the finale of our land tours. It was a short trip back to the ship, and we all dreaded the imminent threat of real life as the ship came into view: packing. Mario took very good care of us all day, ensuring a safe trip and a timely arrival at the cruise port. To be honest, I don't quite know how he managed with all of us being loud and obnoxious all while driving up and down a cliffside of crazy sharp turns and scooters weaving in and out of traffic. But, he did and bid us farewell with bottles of more limoncello.

Our final embarkation was just another reminder that it was time to pack, and so we did. Well, we tried. First we packed. Then got frustrated and went to dinner. Then we packed again...and still we weren't finished. So, we met Nick and Fontaine for drinks. Then, you guessed it, we packed again! This time we finished and were glad to be done with it! We left the luggage outside the door and headed to the bar for one final get together with part of our group.

We enjoyed spending time with our Aussie and American friends, but the day's trip was taxing, and some of us were fading a little faster than others. Then, the life of the party showed up, Dustin! We all made sure to leave rave reviews about him on our comment cards, and we're hoping the next time we see him, he'll be our Cruise Director. A heartfelt and misty-eyed goodbye to our new friends left us feeling a little blue as we headed to our room. Although it was a long day, it was difficult to fall asleep with the excitement of returning to our own (much more comfortable) bed, along with the amenities we've evidently been taking for granted all our lifes (washer, dryer, iron, normal sized refrigerator). So now, it must be time to get some sleep, or it's going to be a long day of traveling back tomorrow!

All Aboard!

Today marked the end of our week exploring Italy and the beginning of the cruise portion of our vacation aboard the Celebrity Equinox. With tired feet from six straight days of nonstop walking, we were looking forward to two days with minimal walking to rest our feet before our first port stop, Santorini. We woke up this morning and ditched our plan to visit a nearby church due to the rain that was falling. We packed our bags, enjoyed breakfast, and relaxed until 11:00.


At 11:00 we met two other couples who are on the cruise in the lobby of our hotel's building. We found them on Cruise Critic, a website which is a very useful resource for finding people to share tours and transfers. This allows you to see some of the ports with a much smaller group than you would get by booking an excursion through the ship, and usually at the same, if not lower cost. The six of us waited a few minutes and were picked up by RomeCabs, a company which provides transer service between Rome, it's airport, and it's seaport. In our case, it was about an hour from the city to the seaport. It's possible to take the train to the seaport, but with the frequency and sporadic nature of train strikes in Italy, we thought it best to ensure we wouldn't have any hiccups arriving at the ship on time. The six of us had some good conversation as we traveled, and we were dropped off only feet from the ship.


After a very quick 15 minute or so boarding process, we were in our room. We began unpacking and taking care of various odds and ends. We headed to lunch at a restaurant on the ship called Bistro on Five, a creperie. I had a Buffalo chicken crepe, Sarah had a Mexican crepe, and we shared a Nutella, banana, and pistachio crepe for dessert. They were excellent. I am sure we will be returning to this restaurant again for lunch, and possibly breakfast as they have a number of breakfast crepes as well.


Next up was the muster drill. Certainly an important aspect of a cruise, given the recent Costa Concordia tragedy, but definitely boring. On other cruises we have been on, I believe the muster drill hasn't been until after sailaway, but this time it was immediately before it.


Following the muster drill, we met a few of the people that we are sharing tours with in various ports. Everyone we have met so far for transfers and tours has been very nice and we are really looking forward to getting to see the ports without being a herd of sheep. This is especially true after getting to explore as just the two of us for the past week. We still have a few couples to meet, and hope to accomplish that tomorrow.


We had dinner in the ship's main dining room, which was, of course, delightful. Sarah had some sort of pasta, and I had a perfectly cooked pork chop. The real highlight though was the marshmallow sweet potatoes that came with the pork chop. At dinner we sat with a woman who was a dead ringer for Barb T., from looks to personality. She was even with a woman who looked like Judy T. Quite interesting; and the table, which also included a woman who travels Europe to paint, had lively conversation.

We returned to the room to finish unpacking, and at this time, I hoisted our flag on the balcony. Behold.

We headed to the ship's theater for the evening show, which was an introduction of some of the different musicians on the ship. There is an a cappella group (which we deduce is made up of a group of Nebarska-Lincoln alumni) that was outstanding. The singers and dancers were meh, and there was a good guitarist as well.


I will leave you with a picture of the view looking from our balcony towards the aft of the ship. Note ugly lifeboats. We saved $1,400 over the cost of a room in the same category that didn't have these obstructions. I have read that some people are vehemently against having one of these "obstructed view" staterooms. I say that the cruise line can stick a lifeboat below, above, or next to my balcony any day of the week if it will cost $1,400 less.

Tomorrow is a sea day. We didn't take any pictures on the ship today besides on our balcony, but tomorrow we will be about the ship taking pictures of anything interesting we come across and will post what we find. Think of it like a scavenger hunt!

Ancient Rome

I'll be honest. Yesterday was interesting, but I hoped today would be much more fun. In our experience, the further south we've traveled the less we've enjoyed the cities. Luckily today placed Rome only slightly below Florence, with Venice way out in front. It's not like we didn't enjoy Florence and Rome, but Venice was just amazing. The early morning trip to the Colosseum and surrounding ancient city was full of fact finding, but also shed some light on modern Roman society.


A few interesting tidbits about the Colosseum:

• The Colosseum was the world's first domed (awnings stretched about a third of the way to the center by sailors) stadium in the world.
• Gladiators were much like today's sports stars, with loyal fans and even sponsors.
• This is where the word "vomit" originated. Hallways to the seats were called vomitorium. It was said that all 50,000 spectators could enter or exit the Colosseum in about fifteen minutes, essentially vomiting out its contents quickly and efficiently. Certainly not like Beaver Stadium!
• Often times POWs and criminals were forced to perform their deaths based on well known stories (ie: Hercules).
• We might assume spectators were assigned seating based on social class, and this is true. The emperor and other VIPs had thier names carved in their seats, which were ring side. The next level up seated those of noble birth. Plaebians, free Romans, sat in the next level. In the highest level (think nosebleed section) were the foreigners, slaves, and of course the women. But it was more complex than that. All admitted had a ticket made of broken pottery with the appropriate entrance, section, row, and seat number. Very organized!

While touring, we saw groups of children dressed in activewear. From the view inside the Colosseum, we found that our instincts were correct and there was an outdoor volleyball tournament going on just a few blocks away. After the tour, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure came bursting through the streets. It was inspiring to see how many people were running for such a good cause. It's quite admirable to participate in such an event. But to have the opportunity to do so with such a magnificent backdrop is like icing on the cake!

We continued to the Roman Forum, which was just a short walk away. As we made our way to the Temple of Julius Ceasar, we passed by the Temple of Romulus (still with its original bronze doors). According to legend, Romulus and Remus were raised here by a she-wolf. Back to Ceasar...Ceasar's temple wasn't as grand as I thought it would be, but I guess that's what happens sometimes when you're looking at ruins! Most interesting regarding the temple was the mound of dirt behind it. This is the spot where Ceasar's body was burned after his assassination. Romans leave flowers here in honor of Ceasar's personification of the city of Rome. He was the first Roman to become a god. It's amazing how the grandeur of what was once the heart of Rome is reduced to ruins. Along our RS audio tour, we learned more about Roman culture and government. As our tour came to a close we came across the Arch of Septimius Severus (six stories tall). Although Severus was an efficient emperor, the downfall of Rome was eminent. (Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for including Roman history into your books.) Another point of interest were the active archaeological sites. Since it was Sunday, no one was digging. Disappointing, but still very cool to see!

We stopped for a bite to eat, then walked to the market at Campo de' Fiori. Here we bought [what we hope will be] some great pasta and locally made candy. We also made a new friend, who in this picture has moved onto the next person to beg for food. We began the RS Heart of Rome walk. It took us from Campo de' Fiori to Piazza Navona, which is built on an ancient race track.

Next was the Pantheon. As we arrived it began to rain. It was pretty cool to see the rain sprinkling through the occulus overhead. From there we went in search of Rome's most famous gelateria, Giolitti's. They had some original flavors there, ranging from champagne to biscotti Oreo (which John got). I landed on a mix of orange and pear, an interesting combination. The gelato was good, and so were the prices! We made our way to the conclusion of the guided walk: the venerable Trevi Fountain. The fountain was enormous. So enormous such that no matter where I stood, I couldn't capture it entirely in a picture. We both threw coins into the fountain, in hopes that it will bring us back to the city.

Tomorrow we leave for the cruise. We had a wonderful, memory making time in Italy, but I am very excited to get on the ship, relax, and not pack again until we're headed home!

The Centre of Christendom

Today marked our farewell to Florence and our hello to Rome. We took a relatively early train ride and this time we were able to get first class tickets for only €4 per person extra. This was a nice touch, with wider, reclining seats and a drink included. After getting a direct comparison between second and first classes, I'd say first is worth maybe an extra €10 per person, so a very worthwhile upgrade for us. We arrived in Rome and dropped our bags off at our hotel, Roman Residence, near the train station.


A brief pause and a map markup from the friendly hotel owner, Massimo, and we were on our way to our destination for the day: Vatican City. After being able to walk everywhere in Florence and almost everywhere in Venice (we only rode the vaporetto 4 times and one was for an audio tour) it was a bit unsatisfying to have to ride Rome's dingy Metro. Nevertheless, it got us there. With only twenty minutes to go before our reservation at the Vatican Museum, we grabbed a marginal bite to eat at a stand near the metro and made our way in.

The museum was a set of seemingly never ending corridors designed solely to show off the immense papal wealth. One amazing statue after another, one brilliant fresco after another, all leading up to the "single greatest piece of art by one man", the Sistine Chapel. The level of detail and presentation of the Bible by Michelangelo was awe-inspiring, and also neck pain inducing. It took a half hour to listen to Rick Steves' audio guide of the room, which seemed to only scratch the surface of the work. You are not supposed to take pictures in the chapel, but once again, we were rebels (see right).

After sneaking through the "guided tours only" shortcut to Saint Peter's Basilica we took in the church. An immense building, we explored the various sections, but there happened to be a mass going on so disappointingly we were unable to approach the altar or view the place where Peter was crucified. This didn't stop us from getting a good view of the altar however, which you can see on the left. Note the section in front of the altar which is slightly off center to the right. This marks Saint Peter's tomb. The church was designed to be centered about the tomb but archaeologists later discovered that the tomb was slightly to the right, giving the configuration seen in the photo. While it was disappointing not to be able to get further forward in the room, the sounds and music of the mass were a delight to see and hear, almost making up for the disappointment.


Yesterday the climb up the Campanile in Florence almost destroyed our legs, but today we decided we were in for more. After leaving the Basilica we decided to climb its' dome. After an elevator to the roof, the twisting and turning (and thankfully one-way) stairs led us to breathtaking views of the Vatican and Rome. One such view can be seen below.

Back on solid ground, we headed out to the square (pictured above from the dome). On our way there we saw a Swiss guard (on the left below). One passerby tourist didn't believe me when she asked if it was a real person, and I responded yes. After taking in the square for a while, Sarah got a requisite silly picture of me drinking out of a water fountain near the obelisk (on the right below).

Some more wandering around the square and we hopped on the metro to Piazza del Popolo, where we took part in the Italian afternoon stroll, or passagiatta, down the shopping street of Via del Corso, to the Spanish Steps, where we took a quick break. While we were sitting and discussing nearby dinner options, a newlywed couple took to the stairs for pictures and cheers from the crowd. Afterwards , the bride even tossed away her bouquet. Beautiful and moving, showing some of the essence of the Italians.

Our final stop of the evening was for dinner at Ristorante il Gabriello near the Spanish Steps. Gabriello is the chef; his brother, Claudio, runs the front of the house, and Claudio's wife has a farm which provides organic products to the restaurant. We each had a different variation of spaghetti, and I enjoyed the house red. Finally, for dessert Sarah had a crepe which she raved about. Another fantastic dinner, which we were once again directed to by our good friend Rick. A quick metro ride home, and it was off to rest up for our day tomorrow in Ancient Rome.

Michelangelo's David for €30

Our day began with a late start, thanks to the late night at the opera. Another lesson learned: sleep is just as important as play! Of course that meant we missed something on our tight itinerary (Bargello). Once we had breakfast, the first stop was the Uffizi Gallery. The museum took us through the Rennisiance. Although I've seen art from this period, it was interesting to see how it evolved all in one gallery. Of course, the stand out pieces were beautiful (Birth of Venus and Holy Family). The gallery bookshop was when I hit the jackpot! There were books! Not just the kind of books you would expect, but children's books of all types (and in many different languages). No more searching for my Italian children's book (and I got another in Italian just for fun). The next search for books will be in Greece and Turkey, but not until the cruise.

We did a little roaming in the direction of our next destination: lunch. Another page out of RS's book and we were more than pleased! Cantinetta dei Verrazano is a quaint little restaurant, pasteria attached. We shared a plate of crostini and the tagliere di focacce (sampler of focaccia sandwiches); both were absolutely amazing! The real gem here was the service. Jonathan, the manager, was ever so helpful and very entertaining. An avid Red Sox fan, he was eager to talk sports and catch us up with what was going on in the American sports arena (baseball, hockey, basketball). We got a history lesson on the origin of the term "yankee" (Every Red Sox fan's next favorite team is the Yankees, right?), while Jonathan recommended some good wine. Actually, these were our first ordered glasses of wine. The finishing touch was our exit past the bakery counter...with purchase, of course (a shortbread cookie with chocolate filling and a meringue cookie--very good)!

I'm not sure what we were thinking, but next on the list was climbing the campanile. Ugh, how ridiculous! What cruelty to trek up 413 (the tower is 270 feet tall) stairs for fun. Who does that?! I'll tell you who--we do (and what seemed to be about a bazillion other tourists creating jams in the very narrow staircase). Once at the top, the view was beautiful and we were less inclined to complain about how much our legs hurt after the eleven and a half minute, steep, and narrow climb. After the much easier climb down, we went in search of some well deserved gelato.


As many of you know, John is a peanut butter fiend. He hasn't experienced withdraw symptoms yet, but I'm expecting them any day now. Each time we stop to check out the gelato selections, he's disappointed there isn't a peanut butter flavor. I suggested he begin looking for Nutella flavored gelato, since that is the spread of choice here. After lots of searching, we finally found some! He enjoyed it, but I could tell he would've preferred peanut butter. I passed on the gelato and tried some lemon sorbetto. It was good, but I think I'll stick with gelato.


A short break to shed what we accumulated throughout the day, and we were on our way again. The short walk to the Accademia was refreshing, as was the short line (thanks to the reservations John made). Once inside the congested museum, we listened to the RS walking tour. Michelangelo's David left me speechless. I know you can't possibly imagine such an instance, but it's true! Again, picture taking was not permitted, but this one time I may have bent the rules. (I don't think it said anything specifically about phones, and I turned the flash off). Unfortunately, tickets for the museum were €15 and the only notable piece was David.

We continued on with the RS Renaissance Walk. This took us through the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza della Signoria, ending at Ponte Vecchio. I suppose the Ponte Vecchio could be compared to the Rialto bridge, but I'm not so sure. Yes, they are both bridges with great views and shops lining both sides...but this one just had gaudy touristy junk and expensive jewelry (talk about one extreme to the other). The Rialto had varied goods and was less crowded.


Anyway, it was time to explore! We came across another gelateria, Caffe delle Carrozze, with some interesting flavors. Finally John found his peanut butter! I chose an eclair-like flavor with bits of chocolate and pastry dough in it. We were both content with our choices. We began meandering through the streets and ended up purchasing a watercolor painting of the bridge from a local artist. Our travels ended up taking us to the Pitti Palace. Unfortunately, they were already closed.

Our dinner plans took us to Golden View Open Bar (another RS suggestion). The restaurant sits along the Arno River and has a beautiful view of the bridge. The vegetable risotto I had was wonderful, and John had his first taste of fresh pasta (gnocchi in a Gorgonzola and cream sauce with arugula). The food was great and the decor was...modern (in a good fun, interesting way). So began our final walk "home". Along the way we shopped at H&M (which allowed dogs?!), appreciated some Italian street painting (excited for Arts Fest already!), and got some gelato to share (amaretto, yum).

We've visited two Italian cities so far...I think it's safe to say that Venice is our favorite. It has more of a homey, small town feel to it (because it is). I like the fact that no matter where we went, we had no choice but to buy local products from locals. Here you need to be more discerning and really search for that experience.


Definitely looking forward to a full night of sleep in preparation for an early morning rise to drag our luggage through the streets to the train station. Watch out Rome, here we come!

Firenze and the Opera

Today marked our first travel between two cities, a train ride from Venice to Florence in the morning. Of everything involved in our trip, one of the things I was most anxious about was the train travel, in particular navigating the stations. We were up very late in St. Mark's Square the night before, and I had trouble falling asleep, presumedly due to my worry about the travel in the morning. So what ends up happening? We slept through our alarm... giving us approximately an hour to get showered, finished packing and get to the train station. Luckily, we managed to succeed, even with a few minutes to spare. The train ride was wonderful, and my fears were unfounded. Navigating the stations was superbly easy. I only wish that long distance train travel were more well developed in the United States. The ease and convenience makes going to the airport seem like cruel and unusual punishment.


We arrived in Florence and took the 15 minute walk to our B&B, Soggiorno Panerai, which included passing the famed Duomo. More on this later, as at this time we were solely focused on arriving and unloading our luggage. We were greeted at the B&B by its supremely friendly owner, Albena, who showed us a room and then told us she had a second room at another location around the corner and that we could pick which one we wanted. She told us it was a "very pretty room" and she was ever so correct. The second room is also closer to the train station, a plus for when we head to Rome on Saturday. So, we took the second room and she generously helped us move our luggage from one building to the other, while pointing out the directions of all the major sites. Once we were settled, she whipped out a map and marked all of the sites, as well as a number of recommended restaurants and other locations. A tremendously helpful woman who got our time in Florence off on the right foot.


About noon, we set out for the day, with our first stop being the Mercato Centrale, a large indoor market. After browsing we ended up with some delicious choices. Sarah had a slice of pizza (center of picture), I had some type of panini (rear left of picture) and we topped it off with our first Italian cannoli. An enjoyable, cheap meal which we enjoyed in the piazza outside the market.

Our first historical stop was the Medici Chapels, a facility designed by Michelangelo in order to house the tombs of the ruling Medici family of Florence. This was my highlight of the day, with the main room having beautiful statues, a wonderful ceiling, woodwork, etc. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed, and while many people appear to ignore these directives at the museums, we have, for the most part, obeyed them.


Next stop, the Baptistery, a thousand year old building (the oldest in Florence) next to the Duomo. The Baptistery was not originally Christian but, as you can tell by the name, it was converted. The most famous feature of the Baptistery is its bronze doors with 3D scenes designed into them. Following this we explored the Duomo. The dome consists of 500 steps in order to reach the top, which we decided against taking part in. I have plans on getting us up the only 400 step Campanile on Friday.


After the Baptistery and the Duomo, we headed to the Duomo Museum, which includes a number of impressive items related to the dome, including models used by the builders, etc. Our favorite piece in the museum was Michelangelo's Pieta, which a group of art students also enjoyed, as they were sitting on the steps in front of it, creating drawings of the work.


The below pictures are, clockwise from upper left: Baptistery doors, Duomo and Campanile from the ground near the Baptistery, inside of Duomo knave, and Michelangelo's pieta in the Duomo Museum with art students.

Following all of that, it was time for some gelato. Sarah had crema/melon and I had bacio nero, or black kiss. The photo shows our gelato being scooped. Next, after a short rest in our room, we headed across the river to Oltrarno, the less hectic side of town. At the recommendation of our hotel owner, we headed to dinner at Trattoria La Casalinga, a restaurant which we could tell would be good by the line of locals waiting for it to open up at 19:00 when we arrived at about 18:50. It didn't disappoint, some pasta for Sarah and some steak for me.

Next stop was just a half a block down the street, to St. Mark's Anglican Church to see some intimate opera, in this case, La Bohème. The operas are performed (in Italian) in the knave of Florence's English speaking church with a small cast (in this case four performers and a pianist) and a minimal set, and the audience of less than 100 is sitting just feet away from them. We were sitting in the second row. You can see Sarah in the picture, which I took from behind the "stage" (made up of the table on the left and furnace on the right) before the show began. We spent time chatting with Virginia, the girl sitting next to us (a student?), who is traveling Europe by herself staying in hostels. A very interesting perspective, and she shared some tips for Rome, which she had recently left. The opera was beautiful, and was a very enjoyable, but late evening. We of course topped off the evening with gelato (panna cotta for Sarah, cookies for me). The cookies gelato is probably my favorite at this point. So ended our night. Tomorrow...our second and final day exploring Firenze.