Husband, Wife and I flew from Detroit to Frankfurt where we spent 6 hours in the airport before our connecting flight. Husband and I were pleased to find we remembered more German than we initially thought-at least enough to order food and read the paper (and yes, there are naked women on the front page of German tabloids. Husband read a "real" newspaper and I got the trash.) After repeated desperate attempts to sleep on the uncomfortable seats, our flight to Milan finally happened and after waiting in Milan for the rest of our group and a long-ass bus ride, we made it to our hotel outside Venice.
Venice=Amazing. I wish we'd had more than one day there. We went to the Doge's Palace, a glass-blowing demonstration, took a vaparetto ride (gondolas are insanely expensive) and had an excellent lunch before it started to pour. We dodged the rain by ducking into a cafe outside of San Marco.
After Venice we took a brief stop in Pisa (tourist trap but at least I can say I've seen the tower) and headed to Florence. This is definitely another place I want to go back to and I think I liked it more than Rome. Our hotel was a bit weird though with the doors to the rooms having carpet on them and I didn't appreciate the group of screaming Greek girls that insisted on hanging out in the hall till all hours, but Florence itself was amazing.
On the way to Rome we stopped for a wine and food tasting and left with a dent in the wallet and some tasty treats. From there we stopped in Assisi which was beautiful. Finally we made it to Rome and after a nighttime tour where we ran into an Argintinian transvestite, we got to see famous sights such as the Coloseum, place where Julius Caesar was killed, the Forum, St. Peter's, and the Sistine Chapel to name a few.
Wife and I got to stay a few extra days in Rome and after (sort of) seeing the rest of the group off for their 6am flight, we hauled our luggage to our hotel near the Spanish Steps. It was great to have some time to relax after the breakneck pace of first part of the trip and we took in the Borghese Gardens and Gallery (amazing Bernini's), the cat sanctuary, a Valentino exhibit and such. Excellent dinners were had, money spent and much wine consumed.
However, as great as the trip was, I'm also really happy to be home. It was also nice (I'd be lying if I said it wasn't) to have a bunch of people so happy that I WAS home:)
Two other newsbites. While in Italy I got two frantic calls and an email from my department head. Rather than incur a horrendous international cell bill I borrowed a calling card and finally got through to her. It turns out that one of the other teachers in our department quit and my dept head needed to know if I'd be willing or interested in teaching AP language and comp or American Lit. Well, I hate American Lit, but loved my rhetoric classes so it looks like I'm teaching AP next year. I'm nervous, but honored that she feels I can do it.
I also *might* have an email interview with Linkin Park and My Chem in connection with their Projekt Revolution tour which would be AMAZING. Fingers crossed...Sure, an email interview isn't as cool as a live one, but I'll take it!
Wow the summer is going fast...
Venice
Pisa
This is no joke! We came across the "Dictators on Wine Bottles" series on the way to Florence. Scary....
Florence
Assisi
Merengues the size of your head.
Rome
We came across the ultimate in box wine. Juice-box wine! It wasn't as bad as you might expect...part of our lunch under the portico of the Pantheon.
1 comment:
Wow! Those are some Sweet pics! I especially love the one with you flipping off the camera at the leaning tower. I can hear it now... "Screw you I'm not posing like a retard in front of this thing!" *click*. Priceless!
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