Day 10 - July 16, 2013 - Florence

Breakfast buffet at 7:15 and bus by 8:00 - Met our local tour guide (he was suppose to be the BEST in Florence) at the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo's DAVID - we were not allowed to take photo's here but I purchased a few postcards. Our tour guide explained every part of this sculpture - Michelangelo was commissioned by the Florentine government to do the sculpture and it took him 2 1/2 years (age 26-29) to do it in secret! DAVID was outside until 1973 when it was moved into the current gallery.

We walked through the city to see The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore - English: Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower) is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi.

It was massive - could fit 17,000 people inside - the Florentine art was like I've never seen before - totally amazing and beautiful!

We went into a local Gold/Leather Factory (shoppe) to learn about 18K gold and real leather production here - BEST in the world and they are very proud of their work!!

Michael and I walked back to our hotel and ate lunch in our lobby bar~ pasta del pesto and a cheese tasting platter - delicious!! After that, I needed a nap!! I woke up 30 seconds before room service came to drop off all my clean laundry  and Michael thought that was funny!! This was the only day that I got a bad headache and I'm now thinking it could have been the blue cheese?

 The highlight of this day was DAVID for sure!! This the the only day that we actually rested and relaxed in our hotel for the evening.

Day 9 - July 15, 2013 - Lucca - Sienna-San Gimignano-Florence

A scenic day in Tuscany!  We went to Siena and ate lunch with Aida (our tour director) and Alex in a local restaurant.  Next we drove to San Gimignano, one of my favorite places! We shopped and ate lunch with Alex in this most picturesque medieval town. We found an air conditioned restaurant playing American music! I loved this village because it was small, very clean, and had great shoppes! We also had espresso with Aida & Alex went we arrived..Photo's by the wishing well and Michael flipped a coin for good luck!  This town is also famous for their ceramics.  We are high up in Tuscany region.  We made a quick stop in a co-op grocery store for fruit! We bought two bananas for .74 cents E.

Every village has many "piazza's" - usually around a church or a cathedral - there is usually a gelato & cafe shop in every Piazza~ Our dinner stop was very, very high up on the mountain top - Castel de Verrazzano.  This is a beautiful castle built 1,000 AD and we learned how they make their Italian wines - mostly Cabernet but we were able to taste Rosso & Cabernet with our delicious dinner.  The dinner was served  by courses - Pasta (Penne Rigate) with tomato sauce, drip of olive oil, grated cheese (very close to what we make at home) Garlic bread (fantastic), pork, salad and beans.  For dessert - almond biscotti soaked in dessert wine!  We loved it and the entire visit at Castel de Verrazzano!  Everyone was so happy when we got back on the bus!!

On to Florence (Firenze) Italy! Checked into hotel Grand Hotel Mediterraneo http://www.hotelmediterraneofirenze.com/ - logged into the free good WiFi (which I always do went I get to the next hotel) and then took a shower and went down to the lobby to join about nine people from my group for drinks at the "American Bar" - off to bed.

Day 8 - July 14, 2013 - Lucca, Excursion to Cinque Terre

After a quaint breakfast in the hotel, we drove to La Spezia on the Mediterranean coast to take a boat ride to Cinque Terre.  We were on the boat about an hour and a half. The weather was absolutely picture perfect as we stopped at each one of the villages.We got off at the fifth village -  Monterosso.  The name Cinque Terre is derived from five medieval little villages standing on stony spurs along five miles of rocky coastline.

Cinque Terre - church bells were ringing as we passed

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre

Monterosso 

We only had an hour and a half to eat lunch, shop and get to the train station! A few of us ate at the Fast Bar and I had a delicious tomato, pesto and cheese sandwich and a limon soda!

The train ride took us to Rapallo and we walked for about a half hour to catch our bus back to Lucca.  We then had about 2 hours to shop and snack in Lucca behind the Wall!  Michael and I had gelato, and went into the beautiful St. Michael's church and shopped and back to our hotel.

Dinner at 8:00 back in our hotel was very good, nice and relaxing - we ate with Mike, Vibby & Kelsey from Orange County, CA and Marc & Kay from Spokane, WA - I asked for a diet coke and I received the cutest coke can ever :) - Tomorrow we end up in Florence!

Day 7 - July 13, 2013 Pisa, Lucca & Tuscan Farm Dinner

Flavio, our motor coach driver, drove North to Pisa~ We left Una Hotel Roma after breakfast with one cafe stop. Michael and I both had cappuccino and it was delicious!
When we arrived in Pisa, our small group of 6 hung out, taking the traditional pictures of the leaning tower  - it was so much fun trying to jump up and balance on the cement posts with our arms up in the air for that " push the tower" photo! I needed help getting up there! We (Marc, Kay, Matt, Alex, Michael and I) took our pictures and ate lunch at McDonald's (the only one we ate at the entire time we we're in Italy) The secret is out!! 

Kay, Alex and I taking the traditional "tower" photo

On to medieval Lucca, completely surrounded by the original wall - checked into Best Western Grand Hotel Guinigi - which was very nice and quiet hotel.  We all met for dinner at 5:15 and drove to Montecarlo to a family owned factoria (winery) for a Tuscan Farm dinner. We were served a traditional Tuscan five-course meal with six different wines! The food was excellent! We learned how to dip almond biscotti in a dessert wine tonight. We all sat outside on these long, beautiful tables in a country setting.  Music, desserts, and dancing - All the food and wine was locally grown and it was a very enjoyable meal - Our group really enjoyed the wine and the grappa! On the way back to the hotel, the entire bus was singing old classics!! It was hysterical!! A FUN DAY - Michael is really enjoying the trip so far and everyone is being so kind to him (since he is the youngest in the group of 33 people). 

Our long table- check out all the wine!

We just finished the barley soup!

Kelsey from CA

Almond biscotti

Day 6 - July 12, 2013 - ROME in a DAY!

We met for breakfast at 7:00 am and on the bus at 7:30 am - First stop - The Vatican and Museums and then the amazing Sistine Chapel - world famous for Michelangelo's ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement.  We continued to St. Peter's Square and the Basilica! This is the largest cathedral in the world and it was my favorite...we took many photo's here and then met in front of the Vatican for a professional group photo which I purchased for $10E (totally worth it)  Michael and I went shopping at the Vatican shop and bought 5 rosaries, 3 made from rose petals, a beautiful red mosaic hand made cross for me, and a few Pope Francis items for souvenirs. We had everything sent to the Pope to be blessed and then delivered to our hotel room by the end of the day!

We then went to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and it was extremely hot, but how awesome to be standing in one of the oldest structures in Europe!! Back to the hotel for a 2 1/2 hr. break - At 3:30, back on the bus for the Italian Treasures tour of the Trevi Fountain! Michael and I bought Gelato for the 1st time! I always get the coffee flavor and Michael had Nutella (his absolute favorite flavor ever). We walked from street to street slowly with our local tour guide, to the Pantheon and ended at the Piazza Navona.  We also had frozen espresso with whipped creme after the visit into the Pantheon with our new friends - Kay, Marc & Alex. We were back at the hotel by 7:00 and we ate dinner in our small bar in our hotel - burger & fries and a cheese plate.  It was very good!! We walked 11 miles today and we needed to rest but it was a ONCE IN A LIFETIME TOUR OF ROME!!!! Totally worth it!

Trevi Fountain

The Pantheon built to be a sundial!

Pope Francis on TV at the Vatican!

St. Peter's Basilica

In the Colosseum!

Roman Forum

Our tour guide speaking to our group through ear buds..

In front of the Vatican

Day 5 - July 11, 2013 - Albissola Marina to Rome

     Woke up very early, quick breakfast, kisses goodbye to Nino & Grace, and off to Genova with Domenico! We picked up Angela at the bottom of the mountain where she had stopped at the local bakery to pick up a package of fresh focaccia & fresh pizza! We added it to the bag that Grace had given us with water, Coke, napkins & cups - so sweet - this food was for our 5 hour train ride! They drove us to the train station and we arrived early so we had to wait for almost an hour. The train finally arrived at 8:52 am~ hugs and kisses and they made sure we got on Coach 8! (Our first time on a train like this) As we pulled away, I saw Domenico jumping and waving to us through the window!! I just love my Italian cousins!!
     The train ride was very relaxing - air conditioned, quiet and smooth.I actually slept for some of the ride and Michael read his Hunger Games book -Catching Fire.

We arrived in the Rome Termini Station at around 2:30 or so...I was a little confused but I asked a lady sitting next to me which way to walk to leave the station and how to get to the main piazza.  I stopped an ask one man (who spoke English ) where the street was and it was right behind where we were standing...this was the only time I was a little confused since the street signs are on the buildings and I didn't know that...but we found our hotel and it was beautiful!! Una Hotel Roma!! Our Globus Tour guide came right up to us and introduced herself as AIDA and told us to meet

in the Lobby at 5:30 for dinner!! We went up to Room 531 - a beautiful room, took showers, unpacked, and met back in the lobby. The first person to introduce herself was Anne from New Zealand and we both we had something in common - our birthdays were a few weeks apart! She was 22 days older than me. About 33 people in our group from Australia, America and New Zealand!
The Tour Bus was luxurious, air conditioned, comfortable seats, tray tables,lots of leg room, and WiFi - which I needed since I was using only WiFi calling on my phone and for WiFi for my Facebook and Gmail. The bus took us to Ristorante Mino for the WELCOME dinner!
We walked through the "cugina" kitchen and up into a private dining room set up very fancy with yellow linens, very pretty - AIDA layed out the rules for all of us! We call her "Mama" and we are her "bambino's" - She is very funny and been a tour guide for 21 years.  She is Italian and speaks English very well.
We were served a 5-course meal with 2 types of "vino" - red & white and a light cafe to finish the meal.  A kiss and a rose for all the Ladies!! It was fabulous food, great service, live music and fun!! Michael is the youngest in the group but we met Matt Barile, who is 22, from Australia - His family went to Molise for a family wedding first and then took this tour with us - We called them "The Italians" since there were 7 of them.  THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME VACATION!!!

Day 4 - July 10, 2013 - Last Day in Albissola Marina

     Another beautiful morning in Albissola Marina, Italy! Today is our last day staying with our cousins - Nino & Grace. Unfortunately, I've been having a few stomach problems - either the dairy or the caffeine - not sure but after a lunch of pesto pasta and fruit salad - I felt great!
     Domenico and Angela took me and Michael on a tour up the Coastline - North. It was a beautiful day but HOT! We stopped in Savona for beverages on the way back after we walked the grounds of the only Castle in Savona.  They both live and work in Savona.  Savona reminds me of Cleveland near University Circle - I liked it.  Domenico and I went shopping for Angela's birthday cake ($21E) and a plant for Nino & Grace ($25E) and stamps for the one postcard ($2E) that I sent to my sister's family.  Michael also purchased Italian Pokemon cards!
     We drove back to la casa di Chiro' for dinner.  Paola joined us~ She gave Michael 2 gifts - Chiquita flash drive and key chain (cute).  She is so sweet and kind... We had "farinatta" - so delicious!!
We surprised Angela with her strawberry birthday cake

and gifts!! She was very happy ! Off to sleep - tomorrow we leave for Rome on a train~Angela & Domenico will drive us to the train station in Genova~