Home Sweet Home

I am officially home!  I flew home on Wednesday, and I was picked up by my aunt.  It was nice to be home.  My first meal back in the States was Five Guys!  The cheeseburger hit the spot.  I had a nice conversation with my aunt and uncle.  Afterwards I went to sleep in hopes that I wouldn't get jet lag.  I got up early Thursday morning to start my new trip... BETHANY BEACH!!

I was headed to Bethany Beach for my friend's bachelorette party.  I was so anxious and excited to get on the road to Bethany.  I hadn't seen any friends in over a month.  I couldn't wait!  My aunt dropped me off at my mom's house, so I could get my car, pick up my mail, say hello to the dogs and twins.  After a few minutes of chatting it up with the brothers, I headed out to the car.  As I turned the key to the ignition, all of the lights on the dashboard were lighting up like the fourth of July.  My car wouldn't start. My brother John grabbed the jumper cables, and he tried to jump the car.  No such luck.  After not being able to get the car jumped, I called AAA.  They were at the house within the hour.  The guy checked out the car, and he said the battery was just low.  He jumped the car for me, and then I was on my way!

I got home to my place and was relieved to see the place still standing.  I worried a little bit about my place because so much was being done while I was away.  My bathrooms were getting redone by my Uncle Charlie, my roommate was moving out, my new roommate was moving in.  It was a very busy time.  I was able to do a little straightening up in the place, and then it was time for me to hit the road.

I picked up Katie, a friend from work, so we could ride down to the beach together.  I wasn't feeling 100%.  I was on the brink of a major cold.  We made it to Bethany Beach in record time... 3 hours.  We sat around and caught up with everyone, had dinner, and enjoyed a nice evening with drinks.  I, however, decided it would be best if I went to bed early, so I could prepare myself for the weekend's festivities.  I woke up Friday morning with no cold in sight.  I definitely recommend sinus medications to kick the sinus' butt.  After a good night sleep on Thursday, I was back on track.

The girls on Friday night!

The bachelorette weekend was a success.  We celebrated Lindsay's last few months of freedom at Seacrets and Rusty Rudder on Friday.  We all had so much fun together.  Saturday we relaxed by the pool, and we spent the night out on the town.  We got a SUV stretch limo for the evening.  With 13 girls out on the town, we went big.  We had a nice dinner at Harborside, grabbed a few ducks at M.R. Ducks,  attempted the bachelorette challenge at Fager's Island, and ended the night at Fish Tales.  After an awesome weekend celebrating Lindsay, we headed home on Sunday morning.

I had a lot to do when I got home.  I painted my hall bathroom, and I got it accessorized in time for my new roommate's official move-in.  I think it turned out pretty darn good!  I still have a few things to do with it.  I am considering a few pictures to be hung, and I am not 100% about the medicine cabinet just yet.

New medicine cabinet, vanity, toilet, flooring, and shower!

New light fixture!

Freshly painted bathroom!

Shower curtain is on its way!

New flooring!

After a hectic return, I am able to relax a little bit.  The plan is to see friends and catch up.  After being away for over a month and not seeing friends and family, I have a new found appreciation for everyone and everything.  It is so good to be home!

Arrivederci

Today was my last day in Italia.  This morning we had breakfast at the rooftop restaurant, where we had a perfect view of St. Peter's Basilica.  After breakfast we started our day.  I have already seen a lot of Rome recently since I came a few weeks ago with Chelsey.  Today the plan was for me to do a few things with the family, and the rest of the day was for me to get my things together.

I walked with the family to the Spanish Steps.  It was a nice walk along the Tiber River.  After we crossed the river, we ended up walking through the major designers store shop section of town.  I love window shopping when I see Prada, Fendi, Max Mara, Ferragamo, Burberry, and so many more shops.  Whenever I see these stores, I start thinking of how I can imitate the fashion without spending a fortune.  Don't get me wrong.  There are definitely some things worth getting, but you got to buy within your spending limit.  After looking at all the shops, we came upon the Spanish Steps.  We climbed to the top, and we were able to see a nice view of St. Peter's Basilica and many streets of Rome.

Kathleen, Mom, and I at the Spanish Steps

Since I had seen a lot of Rome, I parted ways with my family after seeing the Spanish Steps.  They continued on to see the Piazza Popolo, the Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain and more.  They pretty much just walked all over Roma.  While they were walking all over Roma, I was repacking my bags.  My bags have grown tremendously, and I need them to be manageable if I don't have Charlie to carry them for me.  Charlie is probably so excited to see me go because then he doesn't have to worry about carrying my ridiculously heavy extra bag.  I also needed to repack my bags, so I can easily find the things I need when I get home.  When I get home, I have to pack a bag for the beach.  I am really excited to see the girls this weekend!  I will be leaving at 8am for Fiuminico International Airport, also known as Leonardo DaVinci International.  From there I will fly to Philadelphia, and then Philadelphia to Baltimore.  My aunt will be picking me up from Baltimore.  I will be going home with her, so I can catch up with her about my trip and get my car.

When the family returned from their tour of Roma this afternoon, we got ready to go to mass at St. Peter's Basilica.  In order to get into the Basilica, there are many rules.  You have to go through an x-ray machine.  Girls have to have their shoulders covered, and they have to be covered to their knees.  Men are supposed to wear pants, but they are able to get away with wearing long shorts.  After we waited in the long line to be x-rayed, we made it into the Basilica.  Mass had already started, but the guards let us through.  While mass is going on, tourists are still able to walk through the Basilica to take pictures.  Mass was very nice, however I was kind of shocked to watch people get up and leave in the middle of mass and not return.  After mass we walked around the Basilica, and we were able to see many of the little chapels, sculptures, and art work.

St. Peter's Basilica at dark

When we left the Basilica, we found a place to eat for dinner.  However, before we ate, we returned to the hotel.  We needed to drop off our cardigans and shawls, and Charlie needed to get out of his nice church clothes before he passed out from heat exhaustion.  It was pretty hot in Rome with the sun beating down on you.

We got dinner at a little trattoria around the corner from the hotel.  The food was pretty good.  We had a lovely conversation with a couple, who sat next to us, from Great Britain.  They were eating their second meal because they ordered a meal at another trattoria, and the food was just horrible.  After we had finished our meals, and the conversation of BBC movies, Harry Potter, and England had died down, we moved on.  Kathleen, mom, and I went to get gelato, while Charlie returned to the hotel.

My last day in Italy wasn't jammed packed with things to do.  It was pretty laid back.  I was able to do the thing touristy things I wanted to along with getting ready for my departure.  I must say that after traveling with the family for 2 weeks, I am definitely ready to get out of here.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family.  We had a wonderful time together these two weeks, but the time has come to get back into our normal routine.  I could either go back to live with the Boccaccini's, or I could head home to my home.  I guess you will all have to wait to find out which direction I head once I get to the airport.

Last Day with the Car

This morning we got up bright and early to check out of the hotel.  While mom went for a morning stroll, us children packed up our things.  We enjoyed our last morning in Praiano having our breakfast with a fantastic view.  After breakfast we had to start the long treacherous walk back to the car.  We had a lot of luggage, and there were many stairs we had to take.  Kathleen and I took the long way to the car that had maybe 20 stairs to climb with a ramp.  Charlie and mom took there luggage up the steep stairs to the car.  Charlie and mom definitely beat us to the car.  Before we left, Charlie made a little pitstop at a little grocery store, where we got paninis and drinks for the road.

Charlie at his little store

We finally had everything and almost everyone in the car.  Charlie was going to help me with getting out of the parking space.  I had parked along the Amalfi Coast where I got lucky with parking on Friday night.  This morning I had to get out of the parking space and do a u-turn on the small road without falling off the cliff into the water.  Everything worked out fine.  I didn't hit -- "tap"-- any pedestrians or parked scooters.  We drove along the Amalfi Coast through Positano, so we could make our way to Pompei.  I just want to remind you, that I was driving a manual car.  Yes, a manual car through the mountains of Italy and the Amalfi Coast.  I felt like I was a race car driver while I was in Italy because I was constantly shifting gears when I was making sharp turns and going up and down hills/mountains.

Me trying to get our 2011 Ford Kuga out of the parking space without ending up in the water

Charlie and Kathleen really wanted to see Pompei.  It was on our way to Roma, so we made a pitstop to see the ruins of Pompei.  I recommend that you do NOT drive in the area of Pompei if you are a driver who is always second guessing yourself about whether or not you should pull into traffic.  Where we were driving, no one followed the rules of the road.  No one stopped at stop signs.  There were tons of stop lights, but they didn't work.  If you wanted to make a turn or get through an intersection, then you held on for dear life and prayed that the person coming towards you sees you and slows down to let you through.

After finding parking near the ruins, we were able to take a leisurely tour of the ruins.  It was amazing to see all the streets and buildings that were once there.  In some of the buildings you could see the original flooring and artwork on the walls.  It was pretty neat.  It was also pretty hot out in the sun.  Whenever we had the chance, Kathleen and I would relax a little bit in the shade.

Charlie, Kathleen, mom, and me in Pompei

When we finished our tour of Pompei, we jumped back in the car, turned on the GPS system, and got out of Pompei.  Our next stop was Fiumicino Airport in Rome.  The plan was to drop of the car at the Avis rental place at the airport.  Originally we were just going to take the metro from the airport, but I put my foot down and said "NO!"  I did not want to carry my luggage through the metro (I should say, I didn't want Charlie to carry my luggage).  We all had too much luggage to drag up and down stairs, and through the hot streets of Rome.  We looked in the Rick Steve's book and he said a cab from the airport to anywhere in Rome City was 45 euros for up to 4 people with luggage.  He was right on.  The taxi driver dropped us off at the hotel, and he said the fare was 45 euros.  Not too bad Rick Steve!

It has been a long day.  We have all settled into the Hotel Atlante Star.  Here Charlie, Kathleen, and mom will stay until Saturday morning.  I will be leaving Wednesday morning, so I can make it home for a friend's bachelorette party.  The plan for tonight is to relax and to get ready to take on the city of Roma tomorrow!

Beach Day at Praiano!

Today was our last day in Praiano. I cannot believe how fast this trip has gone!  After Praiano we head to Rome, which is the last city on our itinerary.  Even though today was the last day in Praiano, it was the best day we could have ever asked for.  We rose early this morning and grabbed breakfast.  Our view for the meals is just amazing, and it is the same view we have from our hotel room.  Our hotel is on the cliff and looks out into the clear blue waters.  Being here at the Hotel Bellavista is paradise.

View from our hotel room

After breakfast we made the long walk to the beach.  Since Praiano is located on the cliffside of the Amalfi Coast, there are a lot of steep stairs to climb up and down to get to wherever you need to go.  Although there are a lot of stairs, it is definitely worth it.  Praiano's beach isn't what you are thinking.  It is a slab of rock that has been evened out to hold a bunch of beach chairs and umbrellas.  Because the beach is on the cliff, you have to jump into the water or climb down the stairs into the water.  Well, we all jumped in!

Kathleen jumping into the water

You can't really stand in the water, but there is so much salt in the water you can just float.  The water is crystal clear, so you can see all the rocks beneath you.  Sometimes you can even see the fish swimming beneath your feet.  I would definitely recommend the Amalfi Coast for scuba diving as I saw a lot divers in the water.  I can only imagine the view they had down there.

We spent the whole day at the beach on our chairs and under the umbrellas.  It was really hot, so we were constantly jumping into the water to cool off.  From our beach chairs we had a beautiful view of the water, boats going by, and Positano.

Charlie and Kathleen lounging

The beautiful beach day ended with the long hike back to the hotel.  Because we walked down the cliff in the morning to get to the beach, the only way to get back was up.  We made it back to the hotel in one piece and out of breath.  Tonight we will enjoy another hotel meal with a beautiful view of the crystal blue waters of the Amalfi Coast.

Capri

One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen is Capri.  You can find Capri off of the Amalfi Coast.  It must be reached by boat.  Today we went to Capri via the hotel's boat.  Hotel Bellavista had a boat that carried about 12 people to Capri this morning.  We got extremely lucky because the boat leaves directly from the hotel.  We had a wonderful hour boat ride to and around the island of Capri.  The water was so blue, and the rocks were amazing.  We had a beautiful day to visit Capri.

Crisp blue water near Capri

After our hour boat ride, we were dropped off in the marina of Capri.  We were able to walk around the island for a few hours before it was time to return to the boat dock.  When we first arrived, we decided to cool off by jumping in the water for a little swim.  Once we were close to being dried off from the swim, we took the tram to the top of island.  There we were able to see a beautiful view of the water and Capri.

Charlie, Me, Kathleen on the top of Capri

There were tons of shops and restaurants at the top.  We window shopped, grabbed some lunch, and enjoyed the view.  Capri is absolutely breathtaking!  So many people were on the island or cruising around the island on their boats.  I have decided that the next time I come to Capri I will be renting a boat for a day to cruise around the Amalfi Coast.

When it was time to leave, we got back on the boat.  Kathleen grabbed he best seat on the boat, so I of course joined her.  We were on the very front of the boat lying out to catch some sun.  We had a most beautiful view of the Amalfi Coast and its towns.  We made a little pit stop in Positano to pick up a few people, so we were able to snap a few pictures.  I even spotted the hotel I stayed at the last time was there with the family about twelve years ago.

Positano

After our little pit stop, the boat driver dropped us off at the hotel.  When I say dropped us off at the hotel, I mean he dropped us off at the water's edge so we could climb a huge flight of stairs to the hotel.  Huge flight of stairs means when you get to the top you think you are going to have a heart attack!

Looking at the stairs going down... Can you imagine what it is like to go up?!  (also, the stairs keep going!)

We made it to the hotel and caught our breath.  We drank a bottle of wine while enjoying the sunset.  Afterwards we enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel.  We had spaghetti with clams, mussels and soup, and some watermelon for dessert.  It was a good day in Capri, and a good evening in Praiano.

Road Trip!

We left Florence at 8am on Friday, so we could get a head start on our road trip for the day.  Our first stop... Potenza Picena.  We drove almost 4 hours to the east coast of Italy where Potenza Picena is.  There I introduced my family to the Boccaccini's.  When we first arrived, introductions were made.  Everyone laid by the pool until lunch time.  For lunch Michela made seafood pasta.  It was delicious as always.  My family was able to learn why I didn't want to leave.  They got the full experience of the summer home.  They were able to eat lunch looking at the most beautiful view of the fields and vineyard.  After lunch and some lively conversation, we started to get ready to part ways.  I had to get my extra piece of luggage that I didn't drag along when I first left.  Alfredo gave us some directions that would help us avoid traffic on our way to our next stop... Praiano, Amalfi Coast.

After we said our goodbyes, we drove away through the town of Potenza Picena.  Our drive went exceedingly well for the evening.  We left at 3pm, and we were expected to arrive at the hotel by 9pm.  We drove through sunshine and rain.  We drove on highways and backroads.  We drove through mountains and along the beach.  We stopped briefly at a rest stop, so we could stretch our legs and get some snacks.  We didn't stop for dinner because the hotel was providing dinner.

Around 8pm we approached the Amalfi Coast, so in one day we went from the east coast to the west coast.  The view of the Amalfi Coast was absolutely breathtaking (not that I was looking or anything since I was driving).  The drive along the Amalfi Coast was very similar to the mountain drive we took to Florence, except the roads are smaller, people are walking along the sides, and there is a lot of traffic.  I took my time driving the coast because I didn't want the family to end up in the water.  The 26km drive along the Amalfi Coast was interesting.  I didn't scratch the car once, but I did hit a pedestrian that walked out into the street out of nowhere (witness: Charlie).  The guy wasn't hurt.  I was going maybe 15 km/h, so it wasn't fast.  After I hit him, he kept walking and I kept driving.  As we got closer to Praiano, I did hit a parked scooter.  I guess the word I should be using is "tapped" instead of "hit."  I "tapped" a pedestrian, and I "tapped" the parked scooter.  As I continued driving, Charlie said it was still standing.  We finally made it to the hotel, Villa Bellavista.  I passed it because it was poorly marked, so I had to make a u-turn.  We got extremely lucky because after I turned around I found the perfect parking spot on the street.  We will NOT be moving the car again until we leave on Monday.

Charlie and mom went in search of the hotel, while Kathleen and I stayed at the car with all of our things.  They came back out of breath.  Apparently the hotel was about 200 stairs down the cliff.  Granted we are going down the stairs, but I guess we are going to have to come up at some point as well.

After we got settled in our room with the balcony view of the water, we headed to dinner.  The hotel served us a delicious plate of spaghetti.  I wasn't very hungry, but I ate a little bit.  Then it was off to bed for me.  After driving for about 10 hours in one day, I was ready for a good night's sleep.  All I can say is WOW!  One day in Italy and I see both coastlines.

Day Trip to Siena

Today we took a day trip to Siena.  Siena is about an hour drive from Florence.  We didn't have any specific directions, but we used the road signs and Rick Steve's book.  He was able to tell us where the parking lots were in Siena and how to get there.  We parked near the stadium in Siena, which was pretty close to the center.

Our first sight of the city, Siena

We walked throughout the city of Siena.  We saw Basilica di San Domenico.  Kathleen, mom, and I got kicked out of the church because we were wearing sleeveless shirts and dresses.  When you go into the churches in Italy, your shoulders must be covered.  While Charlie walked through the church, we waited outside for him.

The city of Siena was absolutely beautiful.  The views of the mountains and hillsides were to die for.  As we walked through the city, we did some shopping of leather.  I bought a nice brown leather wallet and keychain.  We wandered through the city of Siena.  We were able to see a few churches, Piazzo del Campo, and Duomo.

me, Kathleen, Charlie in the Piazzo del Campo

We had lunch at a little restaurant that looked over the beautiful mountainsides.  We all got pizzas.  Afterwards we headed back in the direction of the car.  When we walked back, we had to walk up steep streets.  It was like we were in San Francisco!

So what... I needed a little mini break!  Look how steep the road is!

After our day trip to Siena, we headed back to Florence for the afternoon and evening.  Let's just say the ride back was a little treacherous.  We made it to the city of Florence with no problem.  The problem was driving back to the hotel without going into any restricted areas.  Well, we went through one restricted area because the GPS told us to.  Then we were stopped by the police because the GPS was taking us into a pedestrian only zone.  The police gave us a map, and they showed us where to go.  However, we missed the major turn to get us to where we were supposed to go.  We drove around in circles for a bit until we were able to find a landmark -- Piazzale Michelangelo.  We made it there and got to see an amazing view of the city.

After getting back in the car, we were able to find ourselves along the river where I knew I could get us back to the hotel with no problem.  As we approached our hotel, we were stopped by the police again.  They cleared us to keep driving after we told them where we were going.  Once we made it to the hotel, all hell broke loose.

There was a car in front of me, and the driver was waiting for the people from the hotel garage to come pick up the car (just like me).  Only one little problem... a taxi pulled up behind us and needed to get by.  The car in front of me was able to pull up close to a vendor in front of the hotel.  I couldn't drive anywhere because there was nowhere for me to go.  I didn't know where I was supposed to go!  There was no room to park on the side of the street, so finally after some honking and Italian words someone from the hotel came down and directed to me to pull up into traffic, so the taxi driver could get by.  Once he passed, I backed down into the same place I was before.  Next thing I know, ANOTHER taxi shows up!  At this point I am livid.  We have been waiting for the guy from the garage to pick up the car.  So again, I was directed into traffic to let the car pass, and then I had to back down again.  I prayed that a third taxi would not come.  Lucky for me, no other taxi came.  Why didn't I just drive around the block?  Well, there are traffic restrictions near the center of town and Ponte Vecchio.  Where is the hotel?  At the foot of the Ponte Vecchio.  I could have driven a little bit, but I could not guarantee that I would make it back to the hotel again.

After a long aggravating wait, the guy from the garage finally showed up to take the car.  It was an extremely stressful thirty minutes.  Needless to say, don't ever drive a car into Florence.  There are too many restrictions on where to drive!

Tonight we are headed to a Trattoria for dinner near the hotel.  It is our last night in Florence, and we will have an early start tomorrow morning.  I am really excited about tomorrow because I get to see the Boccaccini's again!!  We are spending the day with them, and then we will head to the Amalfi Coast to spend a few days there.

A little something to go away with... With all the driving I have been doing in Italy, let me give you a little taste of my Italian driving!

I like to pass cars to freak out my mom.

Just think of what the family has to look forward to tomorrow when driving the Amalfi Coast :)

Firenze and No Lines

Our first day in Firenze (Florence) started off a little delayed.  I accidentally forgot to set the alarm clock.  I know I set it to the right time, but I must have forgotten to turn the alarm clock on.  Instead of waking up at 7, we rose about twenty minutes late.  It wasn't too bad of a delay.  We had breakfast on the rooftop terrace that overlooked the river and Ponte Vecchio.

Rooftop Terrace at Hotel Hermitage

View of the Ponte Vecchio from terrace

After breakfast we wandered through the city of Florence in the direction of the Duomo.  We headed to the Uffizi Gallery.  There we saw a lot of art and sculptures -- after awhile, all the art and sculptures start looking alike.  We got through the Uffizi in about an hour.  The best part of seeing the Uffizi was there was no line to stand in.  We emailed the hotel prior to our arrival, and they were able to reserve tickets for us.  Therefore, no lines!

Once we finished our viewing of the Uffizi, we headed over to the Duomo.  During our walk in the morning, we walked around and found a museum behind the Duomo.  There we were able to ask about tickets for seeing the terraces and the cupola of the Duomo.  The tickets we purchased there were for a guided tour of the church and access to the Duomo.  Again, no lines!  It was hysterical to see the hundreds of people standing in line around the Duomo, and we were able to start our tour at noon without having to wait around and be finished by a little after one.  We were able to hear some interesting facts about the church and its paintings, get a guided tour of the terraces inside and outside the Duomo, and walk to the very top of the Duomo.  We definitely got our workout today climbing all the stairs to the Duomo.  On our way down I had a little problem with the winding stairs.  My vertigo was on the verge of setting in.

Me on the terrace of the Duomo overlooking the city

I didn't feel too well after our descent, so we grabbed some sandwiches for lunch.  After lunch I headed back to the hotel to get some rest, and the others roamed the city and saw the Accademia.  The Accademia is where one would find the statue of David.  Although no pictures are allowed, Kathleen was able to sneak a few!

Once they were finished seeing the Accademia and I my nap, my mom and I headed to the land of gold... the Ponte Vecchio.  There we walked up and down the bridge window shopping.  I did a little more than window shop.  I purchased a pair of 18 ct. gold earrings.  The last time I was in Florence, I got gold earrings as well.  I guess it is going to be a tradition now.  I wonder what I will get next time.

For dinner, the family and I ate at a little trattoria near the Uffizi.  We were able to sit outside for our dinner, which was delicious.  After dinner Kathleen and Charlie headed out to the bar.  It's kind of funny that they are out in the city of Florence at a bar while I am here writing to all of you.  I am OK with that though.  After several days of traveling and being a tour guide, I am absolutely exhausted!  I am so used to having a break in between my touring of the cities, and now I don't have one.  With the family we are on the run everyday seeing things and going places.  I must admit-- I am hating the fact that I leave a week from today, but I am definitely looking forward to going home and sitting on the beach for a few days to relax. Yes. When I get home next Wednesday, I leave first thing Thursday morning for the beach for a four day weekend.  It just doesn't stop for me!

I haven't driven in 6 weeks... yikes!

This morning the family and I left the beloved city of Venice.  Our next major city stop... Florence.  After our breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we headed to the vaporetta station.  Our mission was to get back to Marco Polo Airport, where we would pick up our rental car.  We arrived at Marco Polo to the Avis kiosk at 10am.  There was no line, so we were able to immediately get our car without any hassles.

Once we got the keys, we headed out to the parking lot to get the car.  The car was a silver 2011 Ford Kuga (pictures of car to come shortly).  It is a sporty little SUV.  Our first little mishap was trying to figure out how to put the car in reverse.  We were able to ask a guy working how to do it, and surprisingly he was Canadian not Italian.  Once we figured out how to put the car in reverse, we were able to head out into the open road.  My mom packed the GPS system with her belongings, so we could navigate through Italy.  Instead of renting a GPS system, we were able to purchase the Italy Garmin Maps through Garmin to help us out.  Our first stop of the day was Ravenna.  The family was a little worried since I had not driven in over 6 weeks.  I was able to pick up on a lot of Italian driving techniques, such as learning how to create a three lane road when there is only two.  I was able to give the family the full Italian driving experience.

An Italian Race Car Driver... look at me go!

I went to Ravenna last weekend with the Boccaccini's, so I was the tour guide for Ravenna today.  I took them to see Dante's Tomb, Piazza Popolo, San Vitale, and more.  It was really neat because I was able to show them where I would live if I moved to Italy.  After we left Ravenna, we drove to Florence.  We took the scenic route through the mountains.  The mountain drive took about 2 hours, and it was absolutely amazing!  I drove through the winding roads.  There were times where we wouldn't see civilization for miles, then all of a sudden you would find a little town hidden away.

The mountain drive

After about a two and a half hour drive, we got closer to Florence.  We were a little worried about driving through Florence because of Rick Steve's warning.  He warned that there were zones where you needed a special parking permit to drive.  Lucky for us, I contacted the Hotel Hermitage to get the directions.  When we got into the city of Florence, I got a little worried driving.  It was hard to read the road signs, so we were going off the GPS and the directions given by the hotel.  As we drove along the river in Florence, we headed towards the Ponte Vecchio.  We drove places where I thought cars weren't allowed to go, but guess what... we made it to the right place in the end.

We were able to follow the hotel directions pretty well.  We followed the directions up to the end where it put us in front of a little bar and eatery, which was the same street level as the hotel.  One problem... where was the hotel?  We couldn't find it.  I stayed with the car while I sent Charlie and Kathleen to look for the hotel.  They came back about 5 minutes later.  Their question was, "What's the name of the hotel?"  I was like really, you have been looking for a hotel not knowing the name.  As I began to say the name of the hotel, I ended up reading the name of the hotel off the building behind where they were standing.  Who would have thought that I ended up parking right in front of the hidden entrance of the hotel?

So we made it!  After getting settled into the hotel, we headed out to dinner.  We found a little trattoria that was absolutely delicious!  It was the best food we had throughout the whole trip so far.  After dinner we took a little walk across the Ponte Vecchio and along the river.  It is great to be in another city of Italia... Florence!

Charlie, Kathleen, Me on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence

Ciao from Venice

The last two days in Venice have been absolutely full of exciting moments and findings.  Our first full day in Venice started with a hearty meal.  The family and I rose by 7am, so we could get breakfast and head to St. Mark's Basilica for 8 am mass.  The basilica was so ornate.  The mass was said in Italian, but it is very similar to the Catholic masses at home, which made it easy to follow.  After mass I was able to sneak a few pictures because taking pictures was not allowed.

Charlie in front of St. Mark's Basilica

Ceiling in St. Mark's

After mass we grabbed our things, and we headed out into the winding streets of Venice.  Every street you take in Venice leads somewhere.  You are constantly walking over bridges to get to the other side.  We got a map of Venice from the hotel with all the major landmarks and important places to see.  Our plan for the first full day was to wander the city, see the churches, a museum or two if we pleased.  The one absolute goal we had was to stop at the Museo Correr to purchase a pass to the museum and the Doge's Palace, so we could see them on Monday and to avoid the lines (recommended by Rick Steve's Italy travel Book).

Our first stop of the day besides St. Mark's Basilica for mass was La Accademia.  There we saw a lot of Venetian art.

Mom, me, Kathleen in front of La Accademia

After the art exhibit we walked by the Guggenheim, and continued on to Santa Maria della Salute.  The church was absolutely beautiful, and it had an amazing view of St. Mark's Square from across the grand canal.

Charlie, Mom, Kathleen in front of Santa Maria della Salute

We continued walking along the water for awhile, and we continued to see a lot of churches.  We eventually stopped at a place for lunch.  We got sandwiches because we just wanted something simple.  The place we chose was not so great, so I won't even mention its name (also because I don't remember it).  After lunch our plan was to head to the Rialto Bridge, so we continued through the winding streets of Venice.

Charlie trying to push Kathleen in the water

The three siblings taking over Venice :)

We finally made it to the Rialto Bridge.  The bridge was massively crowded.  There were tons of shops everywhere, people everywhere, and barely any room to walk.  Even though it was crowded, there was a pretty view of the Grand Canal.

Rialto Bridge and its shops: Can you find Kathleen and Charlie?

View from Rialto Bridge

After seeing the Rialto Bridge, we headed back to the hotel room for a little R & R.  We headed back out into Venice for dinner after a nice little nap and cleaning up.  We went to a little restaurant called da Raffaele.  I had emailed my aunt about what restaurants we should go to and she mentioned Raffaele's.  We went there the last time I was in Venice.  It was a little restaurant about a 3 minute walk from the hotel, and it was outdoor seating along the canal.  We ordered some amazing pasta (Charlie-gnocchi, Kathleen-lasagna, Mom and Me-Spaghetti with mussels).  Everything for dinner was just delicious--the vino, the pasta, the dessert, the view, even the gondoliers occasional singing.  All in all, the first night full day in Venice equaled a success!

After a good night's sleep, we rose early again to start a new day in Venice.  We started by seeing the Doge's Palace.  The Doge's Palace was a great way to start the day.  At 8:30 in the morning we arrived, and there was only one tour group in front of us.  We walked in without a problem.  We got an audio guide, but I would recommend not getting one because in every room there was a description of what the audio guide was saying.

Doge's Palace Courtyard

Me, Charlie, Kathleen in front of the window looking over to San Giorgio Maggiore

After seeing the Doge's Palace, we just walked the city as we did the day before.  But this time, we walked in the opposite direction.  We walked beyond St. Mark's Square in the direction of the Museo Storico Navale.  It was a good direction to walk because there were hardly any people in the area.  We walked through the back streets away from the main water where we could see the side streets of Venice.  There you could see the homes, buildings, and many churches.  While we walked, we ran into a few markets.  Charlie is studying culinary arts, so he was snapping pictures left and right of the meat, seafood, and produce markets.

Charlie and his seafood finding

After walking a bit, we stopped along c. de la Rasse for lunch.  It was recommended by Rick Steve's, and boy was he right on!  The sandwich shop we stopped at was delicious.  I had a sandwich with proscuitto and brie.  The food was much better than the lunch the day before.  After lunch we continued walking in the direction of Murano, Burano, and Torcello, which is the opposite side of Venice.  We again walked through many side streets.  As you are probably noticing, we are doing a lot of walking through random streets to see random churches.  Once you see the main sites in Venice, all you can really do is explore the city of Venice on your own.  Almost every turn you take you will find a little square, church, fountain, or street full of shops.  Every corner you take, you never know what you are going to get (unless, of course, you are using a map).

We finished the afternoon at Museo Correr.  There were many sculptures, paintings, and maps.  It was a nice exhibit.  The museum overlooks St. Mark's Square, so it was really neat to see the art and see the square from above.  When we finished viewing the museum, we headed back to the hotel.  We had an afternoon drink and nap before heading to dinner.  After a full day of walking in the sun and being absolutely amazed at everything you are taking in, you kind of need a little break.  We rested and then headed back out into Venice for dinner.  We all had pizza, which was kind of fitting.  Our first main meal was pizza, and our last main meal was pizza.

Although it is time to leave Venice, we are heading onto other great places.

The 4 Bosse's in Venice