Movin' on in Italia...

I am in a VERY HIP internet cafe(ie they have a dj every night, a bar, internet connections and everything is stainless steel and neon). I'm not sure I am hip enough for this place but oh well...

My clothes are washed, dried until they are fluffy and carefully folded for minimum wrinkles. I have a beer and life is good. If Mike, or Elizabeth were here it would be even better.

In the last few days I stayed in Florence, Sienna and Assisi. These pictures are from the cathedral in Sienna.



I have to say that had I the trip to plan again I would plan more days in each and less cities. Each place had its wonderful things. I'm glad I went but after traveling 10.5 hours yesterday I was exhausted. and cranky...and sweaty...yuck.

By the time I got to Sorrento(on the Amalfi coast south of Naples) it was 10:30pm.
I was sooooo tired that I just wanted to scream. I couldn't seem to get through to Expedia. Then I did and they gave me three wrong numbers for my hotel. After a frustrating hour trying to get through from the noisy train station I finally bargained a cab driver down from 45 euros to 35. My hotel is about 20 minutes outside the city in the hills. Wait til you see the pictures.

Just a few things about the last few days. Florence was big and noisy but I liked it. I stayed in a former monastery on a beautiful square just down from the Duomo ( cathedral). The first night I went up on the public bus to a huge hill overlooking
the city. My goal was to see a cool church up there but I didn't make it in time. I did meet a really nice family from North Carolina. They rode up with me and we climbed the hill, waiting for the sunset.

At about 5 minutes until sunset about 30 Russian amateur photographers showed up and tried to muscles their way in where we had staked out our place along the railing. I used my limited russian skills to hold them back. And my elbows. We all got some great shots of Florence at sunset. And plenty of Gelato.

I also splurged on a guided tour of the Uffizzi gallery of Art. This turned out to be worth all the money I spent. Our guide, Molly, looked alot like Elizabeths sister in law Katie, but shorter. She had pHd in Rennaissance Studies and was fascinating. It's always incredible to see paintings up close that you have seen on tv all your life. Molly guided us through the awakening of the art from the flat 2 dimensional medieval paintings of Fra Angelico(who I had seen in another museum earlier that day because I love frescoes) to the exuberance of Botticelli's Birth of Venus. I forgot all about my sore feet. And she hooked us up with a great Gelato connection. I had "crostata" flavor-tastes like whipped creamy strawberry pie!

Sienna was nice, but Assisi was amazing. I wish I could have added another day.
There is a spiritual air that I have seen nowhere else. Franciscan monks and the sisters of St. Claire riding the buses. Pilgrim playing guitars and singing loudly while they approached the Basilica of St. Francis. I saw where Francis is buried and lit a candle.

Assisi after dark is really magical. I walked up to the main public square for dinner. Every corner there was a stunning view of the tuscan valley below the town.
At the little Trattoria that I picked I was invited by Frank and Carol from Boston to join them for dinner. We spent a fascinating hour talking about history and religion and the war. Every time I get a little lonely I seem to meet someone nice.

Really cool.

I will try to get more pics up but alot of computers don't want to download them.
I will be going to Pompeii and then Rome tommorow.
Will update soon.

Hi Magic! Hi everybody at Petes diner- hey Tracey and Peanut!