step by step the roman journey begins

we had a slower morning this morning...we did not leave the hotel until 9:30...we took a taxi to the train station and boarded a train for rome...it was a beautiful ride through tuscany...we arrived in rome our last stop on this INCREDIBLE trip...a little frustrated with the station...information was not easy to find...however, our hotel is very close to the station...only a few minutes by foot...we make a quick stop at the hotel...eat a little and hit the streets...the streets of rome are busy...very busy...we are certainly in an urban center...

we decide to take in a couple of specific sites today...we have 2.5 days to see it all...as we walk, we once again are caught up in the window shopping...ginny loved the look of these sandwiches...she thought that they looked like sushi (sorta)..we have eaten a lot of sandwiches on this trip...this makes me think of food in general...my friend kathy will cringe to read this but i have not enjoyed food in italy as thought as i would...we ate great pizza in vernazza and that as been the highlight...i miss french bread...oh how i miss the bread...

we make our way to trevi...you know the fountain...it was packed with people on a thursdy afternoon in the off season...lots of energy and activity there...we take the opportunity to mark our spot...

it really is quite spectacular....

other sites from the fountain...

we hit the streets again...off to the spanish steps...

at the steps there were lots of tourists....lots of energy...horse and carriage rides (maybe tomorrow night)...vendors selling there goods...there was a group of men selling these stress ball like things to the crowd...they were balloons filled with sand or something...they had yarn pieces glued on for hair and paper eyes glued on...they were nothing special at all...in the 20 minutes we sat on the steps we were asked to buy at least 6 times...they were persistant...we were more so...this makes me think about all of the requests made of us on this trip by people in the street...there are lots of people in the streets begging...the most distressing for we were the young mothers who came up to us today in the train station...baby on hip and hand out...they were insistant...i really hate the way i feel in these moments...at dinner tonight (we ate early and the restaurant was empty)...a man came in...looking over his shoulder to make sure he would not be caught by the restaurant host and approached our table...he had watches and bracelets for sale...it took a strong NO to send him away....arghhhhhhhhh....anyway...here are the spanish steps...

the infamous long-armed shot on the spanish steps...

more of the steps....

we are really into this marking our spot stuff...

from our spot on the steps we watch...we have definetly arrived in a new land...the energy of rome is different than that of florence...venice...nice...even paris...looking forward to seeing more of it...

we ate a little dinner close to the hotel this evening...we will hit the streets tomorrow...map and rick steves in hand...ginny has so carefully torn out the pages for the various cities we have travelled over the past two weeks...tomorrow we will take a bus tour...a classic hop on and off...rome is a little big for the walk everywhere approach...the bus will give me a good feel for the sights and then we will dive in to those things we want to see more of on saturday...

i can not believe that we are 3 days from our journey home...it has flown by...and yet it seems like we are a world away from paris...from nice... from the cinque terre...in many ways we are...

all aboard....next stop firenze

we said goodbye to venice this morning...a little earlier that usual for us...the sky was still waking up...

we hopped a train headed for firenze (florence)...the train was new...a wonderful ride...we arrived in florence about noon...we took a cab to our hotel...Hotel Jane...this was only the 3rd taxi ride this entire trip...i am amazed by that...we checked in, made a pit stop and then hit the streets....the trip to florence was not part of the original plan...we decided while in nice that we would alter the itinerary to include firenza...i know little about the city...i have little expectation...except that david is here...

we make our way through the streets...our first stop, the basillica (San Lorenzo)...

i am amazed at the size of this place...i can not get the whole facade in one shot...

ginny helps put things into perspective...

we mark our steps...on the steps of San Lorenzo...

life outside the basillica is busy...

on the train this morning, ginny was reading about the "roma"...gypsies...we came across a few gypsie women in the square...

another catholic church...just around the corner...the facade is a little deceiving here...the church is massive...but the difference in appearance is stark compared to its counterpart 150 meters away...

we head to the Academia to see david...we almost walk past it...nothing special at all with this building...

we are pleased to discover that the Academia is also featuring a Mapplethorpe exhibit...it was wonderful...

we hit the streets...a stop at a local market

we mark our spot again...this time in the street...artists have been creating copies of famous works on the pavement...this one fades away.

a new one is being created....

we make our way to pointe vecchio...

this is the river arno...

we invest a few euros in street artists...

there are statues all over this city it seems...this is his better side...

there is no picture taking allowed in the Academia...how nice that there is a replica of naked david in the street....

we wonder through streets adiring the shops and markets as we make our way back to our hotel...a low key evening ahead...laundry and dinner...it is so good to have clean jeans for tomorrow...nothing better than putting on a clean pair of jeans...

we are coming to the end of our trip...three and a half days left...i am really looking forward to rome...a great way to end this wonderful tour of france and italy...

oh venice

we woke this morning with blue sky peaking through the clouds...the rain has stopped...we started with a couple of photos in the courtyard outside our hotel...

we headed out from the square and realized that the water had risen significantly over night...it is rainy season here and venice is known for its flooding...the tourists stood out...we were in shoes...the locals in rubber boots...this is the small canal just off our square...the water is still within the walls...but last night the water was 3-4 feet lower...

we take the corner and the sidewalks that brought us to the hotel are gone...

we roll up our pant legs and go...my shoes are water proof..i carry ginny for a few steps...we get to a high spot...i am about to pick her up again when along come this monster sized man in huge yellow slicker pants and boots...he scoops ginny up and carries her around the corner to "dry land"...it turns out he was the  owner of our hotel...we wind our way through the streets and make our way to the train station...it is here we catch a water taxi/shuttle/vaporetto....our destination...San Marco...along the way the flooding is really something to see...life as usual for venetians...most of the buildings along the grand canal do not use their first floors...as flooding is comon and takes its toll...

another one of those cheesy long armed photos on the water bus...

we wind our way through the grand canal...we sit at the front of the boat...my camera in one hand and torn out pages from the 2006 rick steve's book...we are following his narrative for the grand canal...we read as we ride and i snap the photos...

we find our way to san marco square...it too is still under water...

the city has put out platforms for people to walk on...they are everywhere...really quite a sight...

we do a little shopping and all of a sudden i hear "its our friends from the train"...it is carol and ross...the canadians we met days ago on the train from nice to santa margherta...it has been tree days since that ride...i am floored to see them...what are the chances...we visit for a bit and then ginny and i head off to see san marco...there is no photography allowed in the chruch...i feel badly about that...would love to share it with you...it was really quite amazing...a little moorish...but oh so impressive...when we leave the church the water is receeding but still a few inches remain...

i love these photos...the reflection in the water is great!

the water is almost gone by noon...i pull out a map and we head out to see more of the city...

we are in a city full of masks...rita they have come in handy :)

we make our way into the side streets...men at work...

i have no idea how many bridges we crossed today....

we wind our way throught the streets over bridges...we get a little turned around...we finally pop out in a square in front of a theatre and who is standing there?  you guessed it carol and ross...strange...very strange...we part ways again and we continue our journey to the rialto bridge...it is the largest of the three bridges that cross the grand canal in the city....when we rode underneath it there were no sidewalks visable...all under water...when we arrive there in the afternoon we stand on the sidewalk and eat a snack...this is the time that i will tell you about our dinner last night...pizza...i order a plain but wonderful margherita pizza...tomato...mozzarella and basil...ginny orders the "bart simpson"...pizza with ham, hotdogs and fries on it...it was amazing...and good...weird but good...the "bart" left overs are being eaten as we stop at the base of the rialto bridge...we walk over the bridge...stopping to take a few pics of the canal...this is my favorite...

we make our way back to our neighborhood which happens to be next to the old jewish ghetto...i learned today that 'ghetto' was coined here...in the 1500s jews were forced into an area called the geto (later spelled ghetto)...they were not allowed to leave except during the day IF they were wearing yellow hats to identify themselves as jews...i was floored....i really know too little about the history of the jewish people...we went to the jewish museum in the ghetto today...

after the museum we headed back to the hotel for a break...i take another photo of the small canal just off the square that we are staying at...the water level has dropped dramatically...it is hard to see but it has fallen 3-4 feet from earlier today...

we take a break...i work on photos and gin continues to work on her italian...the sun goes down and we head out for dinner...thank you venice...

we head off to florence in the morning...a wonderful day in venice...flood water...enough to make for some excitement...but not enough to get in the way of a fabulous day...i look forward to visiting venice again someday...thank you ginny for sharing this wonderful city with me....