Rome in Springtime...
As if our plates weren't full enough with the remodeling of our home and keeping pace with four beautiful children,we decided to leave the country for two weeks...So pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy our little slide show (you determine the length of your torture!)Here you see Tonya kicking back in one of the classically modern seats in the Paris underground (referred to as the Metro in most places). This would be the economical way to get around and not too hard to figure out if you're adventuresome!
On our second day in France we headed out to the"Louis's" homestead...just a little place called Versailles. I can't believe it took the French so long to storm the place! We spent an entire day there and still didn't see everything.
Here is the backyard...even bigger than mine! The crowds weren't too bad this early in the season, however if you needed a restroom the line came out and around the corner! I would like to come back someday and see the gardens in bloom.
One interior shot...the famous Hall of Mirrors. Glen enjoying is audio guide. Unfortunately the actually history of France wing was closed, so most of the details went over our heads.
We had to include a shot of the Eiffel Tower, though we did not ride to the top on this visit.
This was our favorite patissier! On our last visit to Paris we would stop in here for lunch and get a small quiche or toasted bread with ham and cheese. However on this "what can go wrong, will go wrong" trip they were out by the time we got there...another time maybe.
After two cold, rainy days in Paris we hit the skies and flew to Venice to begin our tour through Northern Italy.
We didn't actually go on and expensive gondola ride since the views were the same on foot and much cheaper! Getting lost was half the fun, but I must say after only two days I think we were getting the hang of things and could find our way around, besides it's an island, you can't go too far!
We took a "taxi" ride over the little island of Murano where Venetian glass is made. We watched this man make a horse and another blow glass. I had hoped to buy something special to bring back, but in all honesty, Venetian glass is pretty gaudy. It was fun to watch though!
After Venice we traveled by train to Rome. After finding our beautiful hotel at the TOP of one of Romes hills(by foot), we went to see some sights. The rain continued to follow us on our travels, working in our favor at the Colosseum where few people were as crazy as us standing in the rain.
The next day we did get some clear skies. As hard as I might, I couldn't comprehend how long these ruins had been there...too much Hollywood desensitization and Las Vegas reconstruction!
We did stop in to visit with the Pope, but he was busy doing other things, masses and honoring a new saint to name a few. We did pay the outrageous fees to visit his collection of stolen goods, missing amazing treasures in the sheer vastness of it all. The greatest let-down for me was missing the "Hand of God" in the Sistine Chapel due to the almost violent nature of the Vatican museum guards. It's a crazy story, but lets just say I've never seen anything like it on Temple Square! And if your head isn't spinning enough, how about a trip down these exit stairs?
When in Rome, or anywhere else in Italy for that matter, wander into churches and look up...you're sure to be amazed!
After almost three days in Rome we hit the trains again, destination Florence. When in Florence you must visit the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore). At first this building looks fake, then upon closer inspection you realize it is just covered in crazy colored marble. These guys put all their money on the outside, leaving the inside pretty plain.
The one exception being the dome that is extravagantly painted with some of the most horrific images I have ever seen! The priests of this church kept their congregation in line with the visual threats of Hell depicted above...not good! I bet their collection plates were full!
We paid for the privilege to get a closer look at those images and climb 463 steps!
Some of those steps get mighty small and rise at dangerous angles. Obviously Italy doesn't have the problems with lawsuits the US faces!
Once at the top there is a beautiful view of Florence if you aren't scared out of your mind to enjoy it! My personal motto: Take pictures...look later!
Hilton is our hotel of choice because Glen acquires so many points with travel, but in Florence it was too far out of town so we chose something else. We found this place on the Internet and weren't sure what to expect..but how can you go wrong placed between Tiffany's and Burberry?! Really it was a fun place in an old building turned beautiful hotel. 
After Florence we were headed to The Cinque Terre, but swung by Pisa on the way and see if we could help with their leaning tower problem. Turns out it's not much of a problem since I think it's the only reason people stop here.
When we arrive in the beautiful village of Vernazza (one of the five villages that make up The Cique Terre)we still had no place to stay. Glen left me and our gear at the top of the village street and took off in hopes of finding a room with a view. While he inquired about, found, and inspected such a room I stood dutifully protecting myself and our things from a torrential down pour! It was as if the heavens decided to empty buckets of water in record time! Glen returned twenty minutes later dry and happy with his findings...lucky for him, it was a great room! Our landlady for three nights was Amelia and she was everything you expect an older Italian woman to be!
Our view of the marina and village square. The villages seems to be divided by the young people serving the tourists and the older generations sitting around gossiping about the same transient crowd. The church bells ring every 30 minutes and the ocean provides peaceful background, the pace is slow and the views are astounding!
Corniglia in the background... All the villages are built on the ocean side hills with paths connecting the dots.
In Monterosso we found a welcome reprise from pizza...an Italian Cheeseburger! At the "Fast Bar" we downed two burgers grilled on a panini machine, made with ficacia bread and the regular American fixin's...Yum, Yum!
Wow, that's Good!
After fueling up we decided to tackle the "hardest" section of the "connect the dot" paths. At this point (45 minutes in) I was relatively happy. There was solid ground on both sides and a clearly defined path, not something that could be said during most of that two hour hike!
A half hour left to go!
When we did reach Vernazza (our home base) we were thrilled and smelly! With a week and a half under our belts and a few more days to go, we decided to do laundry...the Italian way! We washes our clothes and then hung them to dry on our very own clothes line.
Our Vernazza piazza!
Gelato two or three times a day, rain or shine!
Our final train to Milan, the backpacks we carried everything in, and one of Glen's signatures smiles!
Our final stop in Italy, Milan. Twenty minutes was all I needed in this city, to see their Duomo, fancy shopping mall, and get on live Italian MTV three times. They were shooting in the square while we were there so I just walked into the shot, pretty cool!
This man was on the street carving the most beautiful things from vegetables.
Closing thoughts...
Hilton is our hotel of choice because Glen acquires so many points with travel, but in Florence it was too far out of town so we chose something else. We found this place on the Internet and weren't sure what to expect..but how can you go wrong placed between Tiffany's and Burberry?! Really it was a fun place in an old building turned beautiful hotel. 
After Florence we were headed to The Cinque Terre, but swung by Pisa on the way and see if we could help with their leaning tower problem. Turns out it's not much of a problem since I think it's the only reason people stop here.
When we arrive in the beautiful village of Vernazza (one of the five villages that make up The Cique Terre)we still had no place to stay. Glen left me and our gear at the top of the village street and took off in hopes of finding a room with a view. While he inquired about, found, and inspected such a room I stood dutifully protecting myself and our things from a torrential down pour! It was as if the heavens decided to empty buckets of water in record time! Glen returned twenty minutes later dry and happy with his findings...lucky for him, it was a great room! Our landlady for three nights was Amelia and she was everything you expect an older Italian woman to be!
Our view of the marina and village square. The villages seems to be divided by the young people serving the tourists and the older generations sitting around gossiping about the same transient crowd. The church bells ring every 30 minutes and the ocean provides peaceful background, the pace is slow and the views are astounding!
Corniglia in the background... All the villages are built on the ocean side hills with paths connecting the dots.
In Monterosso we found a welcome reprise from pizza...an Italian Cheeseburger! At the "Fast Bar" we downed two burgers grilled on a panini machine, made with ficacia bread and the regular American fixin's...Yum, Yum!
Wow, that's Good!
After fueling up we decided to tackle the "hardest" section of the "connect the dot" paths. At this point (45 minutes in) I was relatively happy. There was solid ground on both sides and a clearly defined path, not something that could be said during most of that two hour hike!
A half hour left to go!
When we did reach Vernazza (our home base) we were thrilled and smelly! With a week and a half under our belts and a few more days to go, we decided to do laundry...the Italian way! We washes our clothes and then hung them to dry on our very own clothes line.
Our Vernazza piazza!
Gelato two or three times a day, rain or shine!
Our final train to Milan, the backpacks we carried everything in, and one of Glen's signatures smiles!
Our final stop in Italy, Milan. Twenty minutes was all I needed in this city, to see their Duomo, fancy shopping mall, and get on live Italian MTV three times. They were shooting in the square while we were there so I just walked into the shot, pretty cool!
This man was on the street carving the most beautiful things from vegetables.
Closing thoughts...
Italy is a beautiful country full of cultural wonders and antient history. I'm glad I was fortunate enough to see these things and relax in the slow paced village of Vernazza. I will always treasure the memories, but...There is no place like home! I missed my family and way of doing things, right or wrong, they make me who I am. Hopefully I will be able to take the things I appreciate most from those around me in this beautiful world and improve who and what I am.
A special thanks to everyone who made this trip possible...Rick Steves for his detailed and funny guide, Glen for funding this expedition, and especially our children's Grandparents for caring for them in our absence. Thank You!
A special thanks to everyone who made this trip possible...Rick Steves for his detailed and funny guide, Glen for funding this expedition, and especially our children's Grandparents for caring for them in our absence. Thank You! 