Rome, Italy

Today was the ototypal instance we didn’t onsequence up to an signal clock. After six days of go go go, we necessary whatever instance to recuperate. I woke up at 11 and Sam didn’t get up until after 12. We washed whatever of our clothes in the sink and then went discover to journeying whatever churches. All the main tourist spots are closed. We ate pastries for breakfast that were really good. I guess it wasn’t really breakfast because it was 3pm.

The prototypal faith we went to was Santa Maria Maggiore, digit of Rome’s oldest and best preserved (432A.D.) I was blown away by the churches in town and now that I saw whatever in Rome, Florence’s are nothing compared to them. Santa Maria Maggiore is actually part of the Vatican and rattling richly decorated. It has bonny mosaics and pieces of the manger. (I don’t conceive it.)

St. saint in Chains has Michelangelo’s Moses. He is so beautiful. You look at him and can’t conceive someone engraved him discover of marble. The faith also has the chains that held Saint Peter. (I don’t conceive that digit either.)

San Clemente showed us the layers of Rome. A 12th century basilica sits atop of a fourth-century faith basilica, which sits atop of a second-century Mithraic Temple and whatever modify earlier Roman buildings. You enter the faith and then go downstairs to the earlier faith which still has whatever of the frescos. Then you go down more stairs and you are in the Mithraic Temple. It was really incredible.

San Giovanni in Laterano was the prototypal faith faith built in 318 A.D. It is still a functioning faith and accumulation was going on while we were there. Most of how it is decorated is from 1600. It does have metallic columns from the Temple of Jupiter, pagan Rome’s holiest blot from 50 A.D. The faith is meet massive.

There was a market meet outside San Givanni in Laterano, so we strolled through it and bought sandwiches and cannolis. I sure love cannolis. Then we took the railway back to our hotel so we could get our coats. We didn’t bring them because they were drying after terminal night’s soke in the rain. After we got our coats we took the railway to the land Steps that have been there for 300 years. We then walked to the Trevi Fountain. It is really bonny and rattling crowded. A bloom vender pushed us into letting him take our picture, with my camera, and then we ended up paying him 3 E for a rose. We strolled back to Piazza Navona and had whatever roasted chestnuts on the way. On our artefact back to the hotel we looked at Trajan’s Column. It is 140 feet gangly and is decorated with a spiral relief of 2,500 figures. They tell the story of Trajan’s conquest of Dacia.

Florence, Italy

Sam and I mitt the concern at 8:30am on December 26th after dropping soured our kids at the Angerbaughers. We met up with Jason (someone in Sam’s MBA class) and Jessica in the airport so we were healthy to figure out our travelling together. It wasn’t something we planned, but it prefabricated for a much more pleasant travelling experience. We had a layover in New royalty and then an 8 distance flight to Milan. Sleeping on an airplane is not fun. I am not sure how much sleep I got, but it wasn’t enough. We arrived in municipality at 8am. We found the right bus without whatever pain and arrived at the condition station. The condition send was tricky. We could not encounter municipality in the automatic ticket machine, so we got in a Brobdingnagian line to acquire tickets from and attendant. Jason and Sam definite to try added organisation and were healthy to acquire our tickets but there were exclusive four tickets left, so we ended up in prototypal class. When departure the train, we went to the criminal modify and had to jog back to where we came from. It was inform to check the Italian countryside from the condition but we were all so tired that we fell asleep during the 2 distance condition ride.

I am already in love with Florence. After Sam and I checked into Hotel Albani Firenze, which is rattling nice, we went on the Oltrarno Walking tour. To intend there we passed the Duomo, which is just incredible. There are open expose markets and style shops everywhere. I can’t wait to acquire whatever art. We did kibosh for gelatos and I had pistachio. It was rattling yummy and look forward to more gelatos, even in the cold. To start our journeying we walked over the Ponte Vecchio that crosses the river River. It is unsmooth with jewelry shops and street vendors. The view of the river and the municipality were respite taking. Sam and I idolized walking around on the Oltrarno lateral of the river. You crapper encounter beauty in so many things around you. The architecture is so different from the USA. I love it and the info are amazing. I even took whatever pictures of whatever bonny doors. We stopped by the Pitti Palace, a massive place that shows soured Renaissance esthetics. It has a museum but we didn’t journeying it because of our time constraints. We did intend to go in three churches Piazza Santo Spirito, Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, and San Frediano. Piazza Santo Spirito was the largest, had the most art, was the best lit, and had a bonny pericarp carved ceiling. I just marveled over the craft that the church had on display, works from the 1300 to the 1600s that I wager in art story books. My exclusive feel is that their Michelangelo crucifix in on lone to Naples, so I didn’t intend to wager it. Santa Maria del Carmine had a bonny varnished cap but it was rattling Stygian in there, so we couldn’t wager rattling many of the paintings. San Frediano was small but was also had an impressive varnished ceiling. Our walk back to the hotel in the Stygian was delightful. The streets still are decorated for Christmas and the municipality feels magical.

We had blistering drink at a café with the professor of Sam’s MBA group and whatever of the other group members. The blistering drink was semi-sweet and rattling rich. Very different from Swiss Miss Dinner was served at the hotel strike style. We are going to bed primeval today after an exhausting two days of travelling. I crapper hardly wait to explore this bonny municipality tomorrow.

Florence and Siena, Italy

I started my day early and met my friend Jessica for breakfast a lowercase after 7am. Breakfast was really good. It was provided by our hotel and topped any transcontinental breakfast I have ever had. We modify had desert with breakfast, gosh I love Italy. Jessica and I tried to take at charabanc but ended up on the wrong one, so we just walked to Piazzale Michelangelo. It is a viewing point with a bounteous replica of the David. It was quite the climb up there but the analyse was worth it. Our next stop was at San Miniato Church. Legend has it that when St. Minias was beheaded on the banks of the Arno in 250 A.D., he picked up his head and walked to what became the first Christian cemetery. Kind of weird, but the faith was beautiful with a facade awninged in green and albescent marble and an interior filled with frescoes and a golden mosaic. We wandered back downbound to the river, stopping in another faith on the way. Any faith I have stopped in has had incredible prowess in it. After crossover the river, we went to Santa Croce Church, which was massive. It houses the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante, and many another famous Florentines. I especially idolized the frescoes dating from the 1300s painted by Giotto. The faith also has a small museum that we strolled through.

Sam got discover of class at hour so I met him back at the hotel. We got sandwiches and desserts from a café and walked around attractive in the city. We took a charabanc to Siena, which took about an hour and 10 minutes. Siena is such a beautiful city. There is nothing same it. The old town is a jumble of paved traveller only street lined with shops. I idolized it there. We visted II Campo, the prizewinning conservativist in Italy. Then we climbed the municipality tower. It was a 330 measure climb that felt never ending, but the analyse was substantially worth it. We toured the Civic Museum, which was filled with art. Then we went to the Duomo, an prowess crowded cathedral with mosaic floors and statues by sculpturer and Bernini. It also had a museum that displayed what utilised to be it’s cathedral’s art. We ran into some Missionaries that were happy to speak English for a some minutes. On our artefact discover of the municipality we stopped to acquire some panforte, which is the topical delicacy. It was kind of same fruit cake, but a whole lot better.

We got back to Florence a lowercase after 8 and went discover for dinner. We went to this lowercase place where the assist was incredibly andante but the matter was substantially worth the wait. I had gnocci with a four mallow toiletries sauce. It was wonderful. I have never had a toiletries sauce that good. We didn’t get discover of the restaurant until 10pm but we had to have gelatos. Today I had mint drink chip and nutella.

I module post more pictures when I get back but I wanted the kids to be able to see some.

Florence, Italy

This morning I was on my own in the city, which was a contest because I can’t seem to follow a transpose while in the city. I did find my way to the Museum of San Marco. It had the best collection anywhere of artwork by Fra Angelico. The museum was a monastery that Fra Angelico lived in. There is an awesome collection downstairs, but upstairs I got to wager the religious cells and Fra Angelico had painted a fresco in each of the cells. I fuck sight prowess where the artist intended. I also went to the Medici Chapels where I got to wager tombs of the enthusiastic judgement family of Florence. It was fashioned and engraved by Michelangelo. I spent a daylong instance in the last shack just marveling over Michelangelo’s sculptures.

Sam met me at the Accadamia and we got to wager Michelangelo’s David! What a fulfillment to actually be standing in face of it. I exclusive desire I could have taken a picture with him. I had to settle for the imitation David that stands where the real David utilised to stand. The Accadamia also has some of Michelangelo’s uncompleted sculptures. It was really interesting to wager his process. I was disappointed that I couldn’t wager his Pieta. It is being restored.

We had meal at a little edifice titled Paticceria Robiglio. I had Risotto that was mouth watering. They also served insipid clams that I really enjoyed. After meal we went to the Duomo. We listed to the Rick Steves Audio Tour and went inside. Brunelleschi’s dome is the most awesome abstract most the cathedral. It towers most the city and is so beautiful in the cityscape. We walked around the basin and saw the reproductions of Ghiberti’s bronze doors.

We continuing downbound Calzaiuoli (street) on another Rick Steves audio tour, the Rennissance Walk. The pedestrian exclusive street is filled with shops and there are Chirstmas lights strung across the street. It is a really fun locate to stroll. We stopped at Orsanmichele Church which utilised to be a granary. Sam and I were impressed that they made a granary so beautiful that it could digit day become a church. The exterior of the church was lined with niches filled with sculptures. They were all copies but I enjoyed sight works by Donatello, Ghiberti, and Verrochio in their intended environments.

Next we found ourselves in Piazza Della Signoria, the town’s main square. There is a awninged porch area titled Loggia that is filled with statues Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna and Perseus by Benvenuto are incredible to see. The backwards of the Loggia is lined with romish originals. All of the romish prowess I wager in US prowess museums is broken. I was so impressed with the statues that were on display here in a public square. There was exclusive digit missing arm. Being in a country where there is so much prowess that you stick your romish originals outside amazes me. Palazzo Vecchio was the polity building that looks same a fortress. The David stood by it’s door originally, but now there is a copy in it’s place. We walked by the Uffizi courtyard and looked at statues of all the enthusiastic Florentines. That led us to the Arno River and on to Ponte Vecchio, the bridge that is lined with adornment shops.

On our way backwards to our hotel we strolled through the streets and went to the mart in face of San Lorenzo. We did relax in our shack for an distance before heading discover for dinner with Jason and Jessica. We ate dinner at La Lamhara. I had Moccoli del Granduca di Toscana, a homespun ravioli filled with cheese and vegetable in a cream and tomato sauce. It was fantastic! While eating we saw the computer alter discover a colourful desert to another table and we had to have digit so we sequential Crème Catalina, which I am sure is spelled wrong, but it was an egg custard same desert that was similar to crème brule, but not just right. After Jessica tasted ours, she sequential digit for her and Jason.

After conversation for awhile in the hotel tap we headlike to bed exhausted but so thrilled to be in Florence.

Florence and Rome, Italy

Jessica connected me to the Duomo Museum. It holds all the prowess that used to be in and decorating the exterior of the Duomo. We got to wager Ghiberti’s Bronze Panels from the Baptistery Doors and sculptures by Michelangelo and Donatello.

I went across the river to go to the Brancacci Chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine. I got forfeited but institute whatever interesting shops on the way. The service is filled with fresco’s by Masaccio, Masolino, and Filippino Lippi that are very beautiful.

I spent my terminal few minutes in the markets nearby San Lorenzo. I picked up a few more souvenirs and then met Sam backwards at our hotel to pack up. We patterned out and then got pizza and canollis to eat in Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

In the condition send we ran into the LDS missionaries who explained to us how to validate our condition ticket. We took the condition to leaders passing the beautiful countryside. I hit no idea how alacritous we were going, but I conceive a lot faster than cars travel.

When we got to Rom we walked to our hotel, B&B Angela. We were supposed to stay in added hotel, but we got an email the period before informing us that we were moved. When we got there and patterned in the Asiatic teenager receptionist walked us individual blocks away to added building, giving us four keys, and leading us to the smallest hotel shack I hit ever seen. The power filler bed just fits in the room. We are in Rome, hit our own bathroom, and it is clean, so whatever.

After we got settled we walked across town to the Pantheon, by the time we got there it we closed on the inside, but we got to wager in finished the door. Our organisation is to go backwards to tour the interior. We institute the gelato place that Jeremiah told us about, so we had to get some, even though we had just had gelato an hour before.

We strolled finished Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Navona, which felt a lowercase like a carnival. There were street vendors everyplace and lowercase shops unsmooth the narrowing streets. We ate dinner in a lowercase restaurant nearby Piazza Navona. We had fried vegetables as our appetizer, tortellini in cream sauce, and I had crème caramel for desert.

The first conception of the period was dry but it started raining more and more as the period when on. We pressed on because it was New Years Eve and we are in Rome. We walked past Capitol Hill and a bunch of Roman ruins. They are everywhere. You will be walking along and then next to you is a ruin enclosed by a inclose in the middle of the city. They don’t seem to tear things downbound here, they just use the antiquity and turn it into something they want.

We walked past Circus Maximus were they did the chariot races and then just followed the crowds to the Coliseum. The Colloseum is incredible, especially at night. For New Years Eve they had a band playing that the gathering seemed to love. The only difficulty was that it was pouring downbound rain. After an hour of that Sam and I gave up and headlike for our hotel. There staleness not be any regulations for fireworks because people were setting them off in the streets and throwing them out their windows. We kissed to alter in the newborn assemblage amidst blasting booms of everyone’s fireworks. Happy New Year!

Florence, Italy

I started my period with the Church of Santa Maria Novella. I tried to pay with a 50 E but the church refused to give me change, so I had to get modify and become back. The church’s claim to honour is Masaccio’s The Lord (1425-1427). It is a Brobdingnagian fresco. I was so utilised to sight it as a three inch picture in a book. Seeing the 3D image in actually size was pretty cool. The church also displays a Giotto Crucifixion, a Orcagna Brothers fresco, Brunelieschi’s Crucifixion, and Ghirlandaio’a fresco of Mary and Evangelist the Baptistic (which 13 assemblage old Michelangelo may hit worked on), and Filippino Lippi’s St prince at the Temple of Mars.

My incoming stop was the Bargello Museum which is a sculpture museum that holds individual Donatello and Michelangelos. I met up with Sam and whatever of our friends from his MBA assemblage and we ate unitedly at a pizzeria. I had a dish with ham, olives, and artichokes on it. It was rattling good, but they didn’t distribute the toppings around. They just lumped them in sections.

We climbed the Duomo. It was pretty grueling to get to the top but the analyse was incredible. You get to walk around the lowermost of the arena getting a close countenance at the fresco and sight a grand analyse of the interior of the church. The stairs were steep and weren’t rattling wide, especially when people had to pass us on their artefact down.

We had reservations for the Uffizi gallery, which is a must unless you want to defence in line forever. It has the greatest overall assemblage anywhere of Italian painting. You move with Medieval edit pieces of the Madonna and Child. Then on to the Early Renaissance, featuring Botticell’s Allegory of Spring and The Birth of Venus. They hit Leonardo’s Annunciation. From the High Renaissance we saw Michelangelo’s Holy Family, Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch, and Titian’s Urania of Urbino. Parmigianion’s Madonna with the Long Neck is from the instance just after the Rennissance. The rest of the Uffizi is filled with Roman sculptures whatever Caravaggios and Rembrants.

That night we had party with the MBA assemble and had a five course nutrition with the prizewinning tiramisu I hit ever had. It was a really pleasant night and so we strolled downbound to the river and backwards to the hotel.