Posts in category Italy Tour

Thursday 13 – Italian Style

June 6, 2007 Written by Lisa

You asked for them – and here you are! Some of my favorite pictures from Italy! Oh, Mamma Mia!

Thirteen Photos from my Italy Trip!

1. Since Lauren and I originally planned this trip back in the fall of 2005, Mary brought along the little slip of paper on which La had been jotting our ideas along with the map we bought to figure out where we wanted to visit and something that showed the theme of our trip “Ciao Bella!” and brought it along. I thought it was a nice way to start the trip.

2. When the tour guide tells you “It’s easy to get lost in here”, believe him, mmmkay?

3. Isn’t this salad simply beautiful to look at? And it was doubly scrumptious to eat!

4. Some of the awesome-ness of this ceiling is probably lost in the small pic here but it’s GORGEOUS! It’s the ceiling of St. Peter’s Basilica (where the Pope says mass).

5. Doorway of Flowers – Rome

6. You might not be able to see it very well but in Verona, near the area where Juliet (of “Romeo and … ” fame) is said to have lived, people write the names of their beloved on the walls of the tunnel leading to her house. They spray paint it on, stick on pieces of paper with chewing gum … all kinds of … uh . .. interesting ways to declare their immortal love. It was a frenzy even trying to get near there … goodness. And not one person gave a rat’s butt about Romeo’s house, either.

7. I believe this was taken inside the Vatican as you walk toward the Sistine Chapel. All the walls and ceilings are adorned with this kind of artwork. It’s just beautiful, truly.

8. Believe it or not, even with all this yummmmmmy-ness, I lost weight because we walked everywhere. Doesn’t this look just delish?

9. In the square near where we ate lunch in Rome, there were all kinds of street performers. If you dropped a few Euro in this young lady’s dish, she’d do a little fairy dance around you, waving her wand and sometimes even kissing you on the cheek before assuming her position back on the pink bucket.

10. I loved the color on this statue of St. Theresa. Most of the other ones we saw were marble and just one color (but had lovely details). This had both color and detail but also really had a lovely energy of peace around it.

11. Proving that I didn’t buy everything I wanted, here’s a cool wallet with the nifty swirly design I love so much. (Aren’t the colors purty?)

12. I like ceilings of churches, okay? And weird angles too.

13. See? It really does lean!

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Thursday 13

Musings from Italy

June 3, 2007 Written by Lisa

Gosh, I know all (3) of you are waiting with bated breath for details on the trip! I shall not disappoint you. Cousin ‘O Love and I (pictured below on the Venice Gondola ride with our wonderful tour guide Maria) had a fabulous time. Italy is lovely – better than I expected, truth be told. The people were so nice and friendly (not at all (AT ALL) like France), there was basically no language barrier and it’s true what Eddie said in Dress To Kill:

Yes, and I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from. Well, we got tons of history lying about the place, big old castles, and they just get in the way. We’re driving– “Oh, a fucking castle! Have to drive around it…” We got tons of them, ‘cause you think we all live in castles, and we do all live in castles! We all got a castle each. We’re up to here with fucking castles! We just long for a bungalow or something.

Driving around Rome (an experience in and of itself, trust me), there are castles and cathedrals and ancient ruins around every corner. It’s simply amazing. I don’t recall being moved like this by big old buildings when I went to England (1976) or France (2005) but this time, it just thrilled my soul. Of all the things we saw, I have to say that Michaelangelo’s statue of David took my breath away. It is stunning to see the detail that went into this work. I plan to read some about Michaelangelo (an interesting fellow, so I hear) to understand the man that left us such masterpieces. Believe me when I say that pictures of this statue in no way do it justice. It is, in the truest sense of the word, awesome.

So anyway,today I went to a bookstore to see if I can find the actual names of some of the places that match my pictures. Posting one that is captioned “Cathedral 497” doesn’t help much, does it? Didn’t think so. I am working on getting all the pics up on my picasa web page so you guys can see everything (even “Dome 954” taken somewhere in Italy) and will let you know as soon as I get it up.

If you want to visit Italy, I highly recommend Gate1 Travel. And if you are lucky enough to have Maria Fiori as your tour escort, you can do no better.

Andiamo!!

May 27, 2007 Written by Lisa

(What’s that mean, you ask? Here you shall find the answer!)

Wow … I am so glad to be home but what a FUN FUN FUN time we had! I’ve got stories to tell, pictures to show and some small bit of advice: when the quite learned and knowledgeable tour guide tells you it’s quite easy to get lost in the Roman Coliseum, believe him, mmmkay? Just saying.

More later … thanks for reading along and your nice comments!

YEY for home! and coffee! and my couch and laptop and petz!! (And most of all, YEY to seeing Duty! I missed him!!)

Lean on me, just don’t fall down!

May 25, 2007 Written by Lisa

Guess what we’re visiting today? If you said “visiting a precariously perched OLD building while praying it doesn’t fall down on your bitty head” then you win the prize! YEY!

DAY 8, Fri Depart for Rome via Pisa. View the famous Piazza del Miracoli with its Leaning Tower, the Baptistery, the Duomo and the Monumental Cemetery. The four monuments of this extraordinary piazza, make for a unique architectural blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Evening at leisure or we suggest you enjoy an optional dinner in a typical Roman restaurant, with wine and music, followed by an illuminated tour of Rome ROME

I like the idea of wine, food, music and illumination! And we shall have it in spades this evening, our last in Italy. Will I be sad to leave? You’ll have to wait until I return for all the good gossip and pictures!

You make my head hurt. Pass the bread!

May 25, 2007 Written by Lisa

Hmm, looks like we are in for a day of intellectualism. Not sure I like that. I don’t even know half the words they are saying in the snippet below! Something about baptisms and David and bridges. The only part I really got was DINNER! at an authentic Tuscan restaurant! (Because I am sick to death of those inauthentic ones! GAH!) Wonder if it’s going to be much like that movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”. I shall report back.

DAY 7, Thurs Today begins with a visit to the 16th century Accademia of Fine Arts. Interestingly, the Accademia’s Tribuna has been home to Michelangelo’s David since 1873. Walk to the Duomo and Baptistery to view Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise,” whose south door quatrefoils and seated Virtues feature scenes from the life of John the Baptist. Continue to Signoria Square and Ponte Vecchio, known as the “Old Bridge.” This evening, enjoy an optional dinner at an authentic Tuscan restaurant in the countryside