We started our adventure in the northern regions of Italy and then headed south to Florence and Rome.
A few highlights before I share some photos;
Staying at a “nunnery” in Florence
Visiting David https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Michelangelo)
Meeting a little boy named Marco in Florence (& again in Sicily)
Walking through gardens overlooking Florence at the Pitti Palace https://www.uffizi.it/en/pitti-palace
Meeting a group of Italian high school students in Florence.
The Forum and Colosseum in Rome. Discovering more works by Michelangelo tucked away in beautiful churches
The Borghese Gallery in Rome
Stunning Architecture
Delicious cuisine
A final train adventure
Firenze (Florence), Italy
Hello Kitty!
Bob is always making new friends. After taking their photo we had a great interaction with these high school students on a field trip from their hometown near Venice. They told us several times how they wish for a trip to USA. We shared our names and they asked questions about our trip. Linda (the blonde) kept repeating that their hometown made great grapa! She was full of life and laughter. We also shared invitations to visit each other anytime. It was such fun!
Some very fortunate college students from the USA were sketching in this beautiful setting. Their Italian professor was taking a photo of them. A proud educator-I love it.
The photos above are from one of the many excellent restaurants we visited. Meet our new friend Marco! He and family were having dinner both nights we were at the restaurant. Personality Plus! The first evening he came in dressed in a wizard costume. The second night he watched us as we left. THEN I’ll jump ahead to Sicily and the town of Taormina - while strolling down a street who do we encounter but Marco and his family! We recognized each other and chatted. They are from NYC and were traveling throughout Italy.
Marco and big sister in Taormina!
A little (literally) street art.
This group of high schoolers were from France. They had created some kind of scavenger hunt in which they had to exchange an item with someone. We exchanged pens. They thought it was fun that I wanted their photo.
We met the most creative, charming gentlemen. His name is Andres and his guitar studio is near the restaurant where we met Marco. He recorded several albums and performed in many countries. He sang original songs just for Bob and me. We were the only guests in his tiny studio/bar. He loves Johnny Cash!
Stand up espresso bar….rubbing elbows with the locals. The best pistachio croissant!
We do sit and have dinner occasionally! I had steamed artichokes and they were delicious. The photo below are artichokes at a market.
And of course the star of the show; David by Michelangelo
Roma (Rome), Italy
The Rome post will begin with a sobering experience. Our Airbnb in Rome was located in the Jewish Ghetto. In front of our apartment main door there were four Stumbling Stones, also called STOLPERSTEIN. These brass plates engraved with names of Holocaust victims mark the spot where these souls lived before being captured. A quote from the STOLPERSTEIN website describes the meaning.
Gunter Demnig cites the Talmud saying that "a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten". The Stolpersteine in front of the buildings bring back to memory the people who once lived here. Almost every “stone” begins with HERE LIVED… One “stone”. One name. One person.
Learn more; https://www.stolpersteine.eu/en/home
Our cab driver in Rome shared his experiences driving in crazy Rome traffic and stories from his visits to USA. We really laughed with him when he compared true Italian cuisine to the food he sampled in American-Italian restaurants.
Train trip from Roma (Rome) to the port city of Civitavecchia and another train story but this time involving a young couple we met on the train!
The young couple (no, not us-the other young couple) in the photo boarded the train in a huge rush. She was very calm and sat across from me. He rushed on with bags and sweating profusely! She even handed him a wet wipe to mop his face! As soon as they sat down he reached in a bag and pulled out two bottles of beer and an opener. I thought at that point this is a fun couple and we need to meet them. It was easy to start chatting with them and we learned they were from Brazil. They were traveling to a small town
and he was planning to buy land. Eventually he will build a home including holiday experience lodging. She was not sure she would move to Italy. I got the impression she will because she was already planning on having chickens. It sure was fun listening to them and their goals.
We can’t wait to visit their holiday let!
As we said goodbye to this ambitious couple we continued our adventure onboard a cruise exploring Italy, Croatia and Greece. So grab your sunglasses and meet me onboard in my next post; All Around the Boot!
“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.”
~ Christopher McCandless
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