Arriving in Venice!
We were so excited to be in Venice!
Evening Gondola Ride
We all went on a gondola ride complete with a spirited singer and accordionist. Our tour guide Jennifer passed around some champagne and off we went. Wow . . . how romantic. What a perfect way to end our first day in Venice.
Early Morning Stroll
We woke up thinking, “We’re actually in Venice!” So we went for an early morning stroll while the streets were still quiet and only a few Venetians were out walking their dogs. The air was a crisp with a cobalt-blue sky overhead.
Locks of Love
All over Europe we saw padlocks on bridges put there by lovers as a testimony of their love. So charming.
Masquerading Around
St. Mark, the Symbol of Venice
My mom always said I was named for St. Mark so it was especially meaningful for me to be in Venice since St. Mark is the symbol of the city.
St. Mark is portrayed as a proud winged lion with his front paw on the Word of God and a halo above his head.
Finding Our Way
It’s hard to get lost in Venice, after all, how lost can you get on an island? At least that’s what Rick Steves says. So we may not have known exactly where we were but there were always signs to get us back to one of three main areas, from which we could reorient ourselves and start again; St. Mark’s Square, Accademia, and the Rialto Bridge.
We did almost get lost in the Doge’s prison, which was connected to the Doge’s palace by the Bridge of Sighs. It’s called the Bridge of Sighs because as prisoners crossed the bridge into the prison they would look out for one last glimpse of Venice and sigh.
Florence – Michelangelo’s David
Saw the David statue which is a must see. David was stunning. He became the symbol of freedom and independence and still personifies energy, vigor and courage, symbolizing the whole of mankind fighting for survival. The original is in the Accademia and a copy is outside City Hall.
The Baptistery
Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze doors of the Baptistry facing the Duomo was a breakthrough in perspective using the laws of mathematics.
The Duomo
Ponte Vecchio and Pitti Palace
We crossed over the famous Ponte Vecchio to the Pitti Palace, which is a sumptuous palace with the second-best art collection in Florence, including Rubens, Titian, and Rembrandt.
Rome
We had a guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
Silenzio!
We were in awe of the magnificent works of art at the Vatican Museum. The Sistine Chapel was stunning. It was especially lucky that it was not crowded. We had the time and space to move around and even sit and take in the splendor. Got a kick out of the guards shhhing the crowd and yelling “silenzio!”
Evening Walk Through Rome
Started at the Piazza Navona with the Four Rivers Fountain, made by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It has four burly river gods that represent the rivers of the four continents that were known in 1650. Behind the fountain is the Church of St. Agnes.
Can’t get enough of Rome
We continued through the heart of Rome and saw the Pantheon, Hadrian’s Temple, and the Piazza Colonna, which is a second-century column that depicts the victories of Emperor Marcus Aurelius over the barbarians.
Trevi Fountain
We stopped by Trevi Fountain, which was completed in 1762 by Nicola Salvi then on to the Presidential Palace.
A stroll through Rome would not be complete without gelato and there is no better gelato than in Italy.
Rome On Our Own
Since we had been to Rome before we struck out on our own to see as much as we could see. Following our map we walked the streets of Rome in search of new treasures to enjoy.
Baths of Diocletian
The Baths of Diocletian were built by Emperor Diocletian around 300 AD and were the largest baths in Rome accommodating 3,000 bathers at a time. The baths were turned into a church, Santa Maria degli Angeli in the 1560s, partly designed by Michelangelo.
St. Teresa In Ecstasy
First stop, the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, famous for Bernini’s swooning St. Teresa in Ecstasy as her heart had been pierced by God’s arrow of fire. Teresa, a 16th-century Spanish nun, spoke of the “sweetness” of “this intense pain,” as she described her oneness with God in ecstatic terms.
Church of Saint Mary Major
Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore (Church of Saint Mary Major) is Rome’s largest church dedicated to St. Mary, hence the name Major.
St. Peter in Chains Church
St. Peter in Chains Church was built in the 5th-century to house the chains that held St. Peter while he was in prison. The church is also famous for its Michelangelo statue of Moses.
The Forum
The Forum was ancient Rome’s civic center and marketplace where one could purchase just about anything they could ever want because goods were pouring into Rome from the conquered territories of the Roman Empire spanning three continents; Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch situated between the Coliseum and Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312.
The Wedding Cake
The Victor Emmanuel Monument, fondly known as the wedding cake, was dedicated to Italy’s first king, who unified Italy in 1861. Italy is a very young country having had this new national identity only since the mid-1800s.
The Sweet Cinque Terra
We had the day to ourselves to explore the five villages. We started with the picturesque town of Manarola, and worked our way back to Monterosso. ~Julie
In Manarola Julie did some shopping while I hiked up the hill behind the village. The steep hills were covered with terraced vineyards. I went by a man who was pruning a huge bougainvillea bush. The main trunk was at least a foot wide. I would have offered to help but I can’t prune in Italian.
Sparkly and Whirley
After Manorola, we went to Corniglia, the least visited because it’s on a hilltop. We caught a small bus to take us up the hill. On the ride back down the hill we had to stand in the back of the bus and hold on for dear life as the driver careened down the hill. Oh, did I mention there were speed bumps? They made my head hit the ceiling and after a few of those I noticed the Mediterranean was getting real sparkly. Well, everything was kinda getting sparkly and whirly.
All Kinds of Wonderful Scenery
Oops! How did that picture get in here? Oh well, just more fabulous Italian scenery!
The Man From Tennessee
While eating lunch in Corniglia we met a man from Tennessee, who identified himself as a Tea Party conservative. He was both shocked and pleased when we told him there are actually a few conservatives in California. Later we saw him at the train station where he introduced us to his wife. She had this look on her face that said, “Oh no, is he talking politics again, and with complete strangers–will he ever stop?!”
A few hours later we met up with them again waiting for the train to Monterosso. Our conversation continued and when we parted ways in Monterosso they started to walk away then stopped and turned back. He handed us his card and told us to look them up if we ever go to Sao Paulo. This is one of the great pleasures of traveling; meeting and connecting with people from all over the world.
Small Things
Food Faves
Europe by the Colors
