Rome, Italy

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Rome, Italy

​Rome   —   October 31, 2021

            

    Back aboard the Viking Sky, we began preparing for leaving the ship tomorrow morning. 

   We began packing our luggage as it would need to be given to our cabin boy tonight so it could be taken to the staging area. 

   We also met in the dining room for a full meal deal. Perhaps the New York steak tonight?  

   Following dinner our group met together for a photo op. This had been a great group of folks to get to know a little better and it’s sad to see it end.   Our vacation, however, is not over. We will be staying in the same hotel in Rome for two nights. Sightseeing will also be together. 

   

We sailed the Mediterranean throughout the night, docking about sunup. We were in no great rush but we were on a schedule. Every group has definite disembarking times. We had ample time for a full breakfast and coffee.  We took a final COVID test, as this one would clear us back into the United States. It’s good for the 72 hour window. 

   Debby had arranged for vehicle transportation to ferry the 14 of us to our hotel in Rome. As we docked in Civitavecchia, the closest a cruise ship can get to Rome, we were still more than an hour away by car. 

   At the appointed time, we met downstairs to check out. Our Covid test results would be emailed to us sometime today. It was nice of Viking to provide this test for us because they did not have to do it. They have been very helpful on this cruise. We highly recommend a Viking cruise to anyone.

   As we approached the parking lot to meet our driver we discovered they had brought two vehicles for the 14 of us instead of one bus. Apparently that’s the way it worked out best for them.

   It was too early to clear in at our hotel  but they let us store our luggage while we went on a walkabout.

   As we ventured out, we tried following out GPS and map but found it to be a lot of trouble. Steve and Tom we much better at it than the rest of us!  We also were trying to follow Rick Steves’ walking tour in this part of

But.            

   We were heading for the famous, Spanish Steps, a sweeping staircase popular for a tourist destination where a million selfies have been taken!  From the Piazza di Spagna at the lower end, one can take in the beautiful view of Trinità dei Monti church across135 white marble steps. 

Next we made our way to the Trevi Fountain, so named because it’s located in the Trevi District.  DUH!  It is a favorite among the tourists.  It is said that if you turn your back on the fountain  and toss a coin over your shoulder into the water, that you will someday return to Rome. Mo doubt a rumor started by the Rome Minister of Tourism!  Anyway, I hope that’s not entirely true because one of the ladies of our group snapped a photo of Debby down there amongst the crowd of romantics tossing a coin over her shoulder!

   Traffiand crowds today are terrible. I think yesterday the fountain was closed to tourists because of the 2021 G20 Summit held here yesterday and today. Apparently all the leaders attending the summit wanted to toss coins into Trevi Fountain so the city shut down traffic, blocked streets and upset a lot of tourists.  They even built a wooden walkway out on the water so they could get really close! 

   Getting around inside this historic district wasn’t nada any easer by our own president.  Joe was here with his 85 vehicle motorcade. Talk about climate change!   I just realized that today is Halloween!  Is this a coincidence?  Or an explanation??

  

   Our next stop was the popular Piazza Navona, Debby’s other favorite place in the world!  The last time we were here, we paid nearly 20 bucks for a small dish of ice cream. So not to be outdone, we sat down for a meal! The piazza was popping. Lots of people here a young street entertainer was singing and dancing around with her will work for money bucket on the ground.

   One of our group came over and told Debby that Rick Steves was over there making another video. She wasted no time going over and talking to him. She told him we were following his walking tour video. He probably went back home and told everyone he saw Debby Thomas at Piazza Navona! 😂

   Besides having food and drinks and basking in the free street entertainment and after Debby’s happy dance in the piazza, we headed to our hotel and check in. By this time we were tired so we only shopped a couple of hours along the way. It was a long walk but we eventually got back, checked in and found our tiny European rooms. We ate dinner tonight in our hotel restaurant. 

   Next day we called a cab and drove to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.  This amazing structure  took 120 years to build.  It was completed in1620. The Catholics believe that the Apostles Peter is buried beneath the Basilica. 

   Looking over into the main square, we noticed how empty this place looked. There was no line to contend with today. We went inside and shot many photos and videos of this stunning place. We noticed multiple church services going on this morning.   We milled around taking in every detail we could see. The marble floor of this huge structure had markings showing the visitor the building size of other Basilicas in the world.  There is no other church larger than St. Peter’s Basilica. 

   Most tourists walking inside for the first time immediately look up at the ceiling. But the floor is even more unique.  The Travertino Marble, now extinct, is very durable marble, much harder than what can be found today. They only find it at the used marble store, or steal it. That is exactly what the Vatican did. This particular marble was removed from the Coliseum. In fact many churches and structures in Rome used the Colosseum as a quarry for building supplies. One source says that so much of the Colosseum has been removed over the years that barely one third of the original structure exists today. 

   This floor is a beautiful design and looks amazing. I think it’s a much more fitting place to adorn than a place of killing. 

   The courtyard is huge!  The many Basilica bells chime for long periods of time.   The many statues standing tall along the roofline appear as soldiers on guard duty.  The foot of the square was the finish line for some sort of cross country race today. 

   Steve and Rhonda made it to the Colosseum tour today. A kind tour guide got them in with another tour after they failed to make connections with their tour group. Hey, France! See how you are supposed to do it?

   So we made arrangements with our nice cab driver to pick us up about 4:00 am and take us to the airport in the morning. He said he would and he did. 

   Our final evening. We arranged to have dinner with our group. Not everyone could make it but some did. We ate in the hotel restaurant.   

   After saying our goodbyes a getting hugs we finished packing and getting things in order. 

   Our cab showed up a little early then we headed for the airport. We left Rome at 8:55 on United Airlines for New York.  What a great trip!

Mike Thomas

Amalfi Coast, Italy

​Amalfi Coast   —   October 30, 202

              

   The high cliff city of Sorrento fades behind us as we drive the winding road of the Amalfi Coast. The view of the city resting against the Bay of Naples is breathtaking!  There are ample roadside pull-outs where one can take time to enjoy the view. 

   We were on our way to the marina to connect with a waiting boat to take us up the coast to see the rugged coastline from the water. 

   It was chilly in the open air boat but well worth the experience.  Small villages were nestled along the shore against rugged emerald mountains   An occasional home would appear in the trees closer to the highway that wound its way through the hillsides and valleys. One must have a few bucks in the bank to build grand villas with terraced vineyards like these along the famous Amalfi Coast! The rugged shore has occasional patches of pristine beaches. 

    We passed by several pastel colored fishing villages and towns like Castiglione and Atrani.  We pulled into a dock at Amalfi and spent a couple of hours here. In the center of town, as in many towns throughout Europe is the church. This 11th century masterpiece is known as Saint Andrea Cathedral. 

   We were thinking about food as we strolled into town. We had our pick of several restaurants and picked the one who sent a waiter over to tell us he had a table for 6.  It would seat only 4 but that was okay. We just pulled up another small table for Steve and Rhonda. They were doing some shopping anyway. We ordered a couple of pizzas and cokes. Very tasty!  

   It was an enjoyable experience all in all. The ride back to our bus was just as good. This coastline would be awesome to see up close!  I’m thinking of a private tour that would stop to get a closer look at some of these villages!

Mike Thomas 

sore to, Italy

​Sorrento   —   October 30, 2021

        

   Today is Saturday, October 30. For our second day of sightseeing in Naples we took an excursion to the town of Sorrento. It faces the scenic Bay of Naples and gateway to the Amalfi Coast. The population is barely 17,000 so downtown is packed with shops, stores and cafes. We caught up with Tom and Lynne several times   during the walking tour. 

   We were surprised to see Christmas decorations already going up. A big Christmas tree sat in the main square, Piazza Tasso. 

   The streets were being decorated with overhead cris-crossing garland and light poles were adorned with decorations. I was thinking hoe cool it would be to see Sorrento at Christmastime when decorations are complete. 

 The stores were filled with tourists and storekeepers were eager to sell. The most I ever buy (for the most part) is a small souvenir. I let Debby pick out the necessary gifts and stuff I don’t know about until we get home. Actually we buy limited gifts and souvenirs because of limited luggage capacity and the high cost for overweight baggage.  

   Ron and I grew weary of being on our feet as others were shopping. We sat down at a corner sidewalk cafe near the Christmas tree to rest. At once a waiter was Johnny on the spot to make sure we bought something.  Simply sitting at their table was never allowed. That’s okay, we wanted a hot drink anyway. Besides, coffee is only 7 bucks!  Also, this was a great vantage spot to keep an eye out for our people. We were also a clearing house for information and directions. “If anyone wants to know I will be over there.”  “Have you seen Nancy?”  “Do you know where Steve and Rhonda are?”  “Did Debby come back?”  “Yes, but she went over there.” 

   Hey, Waiter!  Can we have our check?

   Sophia Loren costarred in a 1955 movie filmed here, called, “Scandal in Sorrento”. It’s an old black and white with English subtitles if you are interested. 

   Sorrento is known as a romantic city. I bought Debby a refrigerator magnet. 

Mike Thomas 

Pompeii

​Naples — Pompeii   —   October 29, 2021

          

   We were to dock at Cypress after a day at sea but something happened. Apparently, a landslide blocked a road and our excursion would be affected. So the Captain decided to go on to Naples and spend an extra day in Naples. Serendipity for this glitch would be an extra excursion. Ron and I chose the Pompeu tour. 

   Nancy, Debby, Steve and Rhonda chose the “Highlights of Naples” excursion. I asked Debby and Nancy for some hot scoobie about their Naples tour. Unfortunately no one knows what they did or sights they saw except for some broken glass in a parking lot and an old building somewhere. 

   Tom and Lynne’s group are also on thePompeii excursion but in a different group than me and Ron.   That’s okay. We’ll try not to get lost in Pompeii!

      P O M P E I I 

         

    In 79 ad a towering volcano, Mount Vesuvius, exploded in a devastation that completely buried more than 4 Italian cities. One of these was Pompeii. Once a beautiful and thriving city of wealth and prosperity, in a short time, lay in waste, buried under 25 feet of hot volcanic ash. The cities closer to the volcano were buried under as much as 75 feet of molten lava. 

   At the scene of the eruption, there was no escaping the raining of ash that continued falling for days. People hiding in there homes succumbed to either suffocation or deadly sulfuric gas that rolled like a wind across the valley. Even those fleeing across the valley were caught up in the aftermath. 

   It is with this that hundreds of years later, archeologists would begin discovering Pompeii and unearthing its mystery. Today, Pompeii is not only a tourist’s curiosity but an archeologist’s destiny. There is still one-third of the city still buried.  Excavations are in progress and will continue for years to come.  The entombed cities buried in lava may take centuries to uncover. 

   The ruins of Pompeii are interesting to see. Streets were paved  with stone.  Stepping stones roughly 18” diameter by 8” thick gave a pedestrian the ability to cross without having to step in sewage and waste that ran down the streets when it rained. Also, the stones were of sufficient width and thickness to allow Roman Chariots to straddle. One can still see the ruts made by years of passing chariots and carts. 

   We were able to look inside many homes as they were merely stone rooms where families lived. Small shops and businesses also lined the streets. Also remaining were stone walls and stone tables.  One could make out the brothel houses because our guide was very descriptive of how these were used. We actually learned more than we wanted to learn!  One particular Pharmacy advertised that he could treat a certain male condition caused by his deviant behavior with the ladies. The sign was a drawing in stone hanging on the wall above his door. Like I said, we learned more than we wanted!

   There were several large community gathering places uncovered. One could use your imagination to figure out what they did. Some might be social events, , or possibly exhibitions or entertainment. At any rate there were many steps where people could sit and watch. 

   There were also what appeared to be government buildings and churches. Large marble columns stood in front of some buildings while others laid broken and littered on the ground.

   There were rooms of plaster casts of human bodies in various positions. During the excavation process, when a cavity was discovered in the hard pumice, liquid plaster would be injected in the cavity. Once it hardened they were able to remove the pumice and the plaster cast. There were also many jars of pottery, carts, artifacts  and implements uncovered. It was a vast treasure of history.

   What about Vesuvius?  Much like Mount Saint Helens of our time, Vesuvius still looms over the countryside. It is not as tall as it once was but earthquakes are still common in this area. Apparently, there is still life in the mountain. 

Mike Thought 

Crete, Greece

​Crete   —   October 27, 2021

           

   Crete has much to offer for island visitors. The gorgeous beaches are always luring tourists to exotic resorts, private coves and pristine scenery.   I used to admire the very thought of going there. So much so that I requested my first military assignment to be in Crete. Alas, Uncle Sam turned me down and sent me to the Philippines instead. But I wanted to step foot on this island for a long time.  Now here I am! But we will not see any of those places today. Instead, we are going into Chania. 

   Our guide took us on a walking tour into old town. Looking into the face of this ancient medieval town is like a walk back in time. The architecture still catches one’s eye as it probably did in the 16th century. 

   Chania is located on the Northwest side of Crete. The ancient Venician harbor is 14th century and the lighthouse came along 200 years later. 

   We walked several blocks through old downtown listening to the historyof this town. Looking out across the street and above buildings one can’t help but notice the ornate towers standing high above anything else. Many of these Mosques were built during the Turkish occupation. A few still stand after all these years.  But they are very unique.   Spying a scaffold around one of the towers, I couldn’t help but believe someone wants them restored. 

   The indoor marketplace was huge!  There were many stores where you could purchase meat, fish, vegetables and fruit, not to mention anything else you might want. 

   Some of us met our tour guide at the fountain near the harbor for an escorted stroll back to our pickup point.   That way we don’t get lost!

   Along the way we stopped to take photos of some ancient ruins that are still being unearthed. New ruins are always being discovered. Did I say new ruin??  I really mean new old ruin. 😎

Mike Thomas

Santorini, Greece

​Santorini.  —   October 26, 2021

                    

   Leaving Athens, we sailed into the Cyclades,  a group of about 220 islands in the Aegean Sea, one of which is our new destination, Santorini. We have always wanted to see Santorini. The all white hillside city with the blue domes were intriguing. 

   Our first stop was scheduled to be Ephesus, Turkey but due to COVID Italy wanted to quarantine anyone who had recently been in Turkey. So the Captain made arrangements to go to Santorini instead. 

   The ship anchored off shore and ran water taxi’s back and forth to the shore. There the waiting busses took us on a road trip to a couple of small towns for our shore excursion. 

   First we headed up a steep, winding drive on the face of a high mountain; switchback after switchback until we reached the top.  From this vantage we could see for miles!  We drove on in to Oia and got out for photos at another overlook in the opposite direction. The other city was Thira. Both cities are built high upon the top of steep cliffs which is now the edge of a ginormous caldera from a 16th century bc volcano that formed much if today’s landscape. 

   Thira, or Santorini, is the capitol and is the most beautiful. The Snow White Houses, shops and churches are bright in the Santorini sun. The churches have bright blue domes that makes these buildings stand out.  This was certainly a tourist town and very popular for tourists. I thought how fun it would be to stay a week and explore the town. 

   After our stay here we walked down to catch our cable car to head back. Down below we caught a boat to our ship. Looking back at the high cliff we could see the steps winding down from the top and the trail used by mules available as mule taxi’s. 

Mike Thomas

Viking Sky

​VIKING  SKY   —.  October 24, 2021

       

       

    After being dropped off near our ship, we said goodbye to our tour guide and went inside the terminal. There was a check-in line but it moved quickly. After showing them all of our paperwork, we had our pictures taken and received emergency life saving instructions in the event we had to use the lifeboats. We received a tracking chip on a lanyard that we placed around our neck. We were required to wear this the whole time except in the water. Its purpose was to allow the authorities to know if we had contacted a fellow passenger who tested positive for COVID-19.  

   Taking the elevator, we found our rooms and went inside. The rooms were small but gorgeous. The balcony had two chairs for us to use. Because our luggage would be a while before it is brought to us, we decided to find something to eat. As it was early afternoon, we only needed a sandwich to tie us  over before dinner.  We sat down and looked over the menu at the pool lounge and ordered a burger.

  The Viking Sky is a typical looking cruise ship, yet smaller than some of those massive cruise ships. This one holds about 900 passengers. Luckily for us, there would be only about 600 passengers on this trip. It’s nice to not gave to fight big crowds. We still enjoyed all the amenities of a bigger ship, but without the crowds. There was seldom a time when we had to stand in line for anything. We figured out the best times for dinner so there was a little waiting for the semi formal table. The food was excellent. You could order whatever you wanted from the menu which ranged from New York steak to lobster.

   A huge buffet was set up on the seventh floor, to complete individual Buffets to be exact. I could not list all of the food items but you could find most anything you wanted. In the morning before 10 o’clock, breakfast buffet while set up. I especially enjoyed ordering a custom omelette every day.

   There were two swimming pools on board. Besides the one where we had lunch under a huge glass canopy, the other wise on the forward deck, seventh floor, at the very end of the boat. Both pool areas also had hot tubs. Over the week, I enjoyed both pools and hot tubs.

   This ship had no casino, but did have entertainment and rooms where one could relax with a good book interview. I also enjoyed a good massage on board. Throughout the boat there was free Wi-Fi for those of us with smart phones. Most ships charge extra for that. Viking does not.

   The Mediterranean is a beautiful ocean. On this trip, the weather was good so we had no rocking around.

   Our cruise itinerary was changed a couple of times from what we signed up for. One of our stops would have been turkey but because of Italy’s Covid restrictions all the passengers would have had to quarantine for 10 days before entering Italy. That was not going to work. So instead of Ephesus, our ship visited Santorini. We were happy to do that because none of us had ever seen Santorini. 

   Every morning we had to provide a saliva sample to the staff. We were tested for Covid every morning. Also, as we entered the dining area for breakfast, we were required to lean over and have a machine test our temperature.  Same with returning to the ship after an excursion. Never heard of anyone catching COVID but you never know. 

   Cruising is a great way to travel because everything is one price and you don’t need to carry around your suitcase. Just unpack and enjoy your room. 

Mike Thomas

Athens, Greece

We ​Athens.  —  Octobet 23, 3022    

     

   Artan drove us to Malpensa Airport in Milan. He had left his home in Florence about 2:00 in the morning to get to Manarola as early as he did.  We would arrive in Milan about 9:00. He drove us to our terminal and about noon we were flying to Athens. 

   Our health tracking paperwork was all in order for our entry into Greece. This was the easiest paperwork to fill out on this whole trip, even using our smart phones. All we had to do was say, “Steve, now do mine!”  😎

   After clearing in and with our luggage in tow, we once again grabbed a cab for a long ride to our hotel. Our rooms were not yet ready so we milled around for a while before we got our keys. 

   The micro elevator left much to be desired.  It was so tiny that even the buttons were crowded. Debby and I could barely fit with our bags. The other option was to take the stairs. I think most everyone else did. 

   Debby and I had a typical bedroom and bath hotel room; small but adequate. Our tiny balcony looked down onto electrical boxes, air conditioning equipment, trash cans and probably an alley cat or two. 

   The Pinkerton’s shared a 2-bedroom suite with the Lewis party.  It had a nice living room and good sized balcony that looked out towards the hills and part of the city. It was nice. 

   We walked over to a nearby hamburger joint for dinner. It was only a couple of blocks away next door to the Hilton. That’s where our Oregon friends were staying. 

   Sunday morning we checked out of our hotel and rolled our luggage over to the Hilton where we would meet our friends and our transportation.   

   We have known Tom and Lynne for several years. We went to the same church in Oregon when we lived there. We also knew several of the others traveling with them from their affiliation with Columbia Christian School or the church.  Most of us were also on the Panama Canal cruise a couple of years ago. All in all there were about 14 of us traveling together on this Viking Cruise. 

   At the appointed time, our Grecian friend, Dino Roussos and his driver picked us up in a small 15 passenger tour bus for a ride to church. We would be attending services today with the brethren at Omonia Church of Christ.  Omonia means Harmony, a fitting name for a congregation of several nationalities. 

   Dino gave us a quick tour of Athens along our route to their downtown Athens church where he has preached for several years . He pointed out several historical places such as the Acropolis and government buildings. He told us about the Apostle Paul being in Athens and some of his biblical events. Dino provides tours of Athens as a side job. We, of course, paid him for his time. 

   We very much enjoyed worshiping with this congregation of believers and meeting many of them. Some were Americans and we discovered we shared a few names and things in common. 

   After church Dino had arranged for a tour. He was not able to come but sent another man to pitch-hit for him. 

   We went to Mars Hill. The Book of Acts tells of Paul’s preaching from Mars Hill. So for the second time in our lives we found ourselves on top of Mars Hill. 

   Next we visited the ancient Acropolis.  Much of these ruins are still being restored.  This is one place where one can bask in what once was amazing architectural wonders. It was inspirational to know that the Apostle Paul once walked these same marble steps. 

   After the sightseeing, our driver dropped us off at the docks where we proceeded to check in for our cruise ship.  We had all of our papers in order, passports, COVID vaccination card and proof of our negative test we took nearly 4 weeks ago. Let’s go for a BOAT RIDE!!

Mike Thomas

Manarola, Italy

​Manarola, Cinque Terre   —   October 22, 2021

      

   One of our favorite destinations in Italy; probably in the world, is Cinque Terre. We easily gravitate to the little fishing village of Manarola because of its small size and pictures scenery. The rugged coastline is beautiful and tends to draw us in. 

   During the day, tourists who are sightseeing all five towns of this rugged National Park, begin coming here on the train; first trainload is about 10:00 am. By 5:00 most of them are in other places and Manarola is quiet again. 

   Once again we rented a second level two bedroom apartment. Steve and Rhonda stayed in a room in the hotel up the street. Everyone decided to take the train to the nearby town of Vernazza to shop. I stayed behind and spent my time taking pictures and enjoying the quiet. 

   Our landlady started out like a bear yesterday but managed to appear to calm down after we arrived.  Later, Artan said he handed her 25 euros to pay her girls to unlock our door. The next day we squared away with her; signed papers, showed her our documents and paid for our condo. Everyone was happy I guess. 

   We enjoyed our two full days and  3 nights here. We spent our time being lazy and soaking in the essence of this little fishing village, Mountain View’s, hillside cafes and all the sights, sounds and smells. It was an enjoyable experience. 

   We would leave dark and early Saturday morning. Artan would pick us up in the parking lot. It would be a hard walk up the long hillside streets dragging our luggage.  Fortunately, Artan had made arrangements with a local driver with a tiny pickup to haul our luggage for us. It saved us a lot of work!  It did cost us about $80. Everyone walked the mile up the street in the dark except me. I rode in the pickup. Well, someone had to. I don’t mind doin my share of the chores.

   After transferring our luggage into the Mercedes and waiting on the pickup to return (he went back to give Nancy a ride), we drove away with visions of coffee and donuts in our heads.   Goodbye Manarola!

Mike Thomas

Tuscany, Italy

​Tuscany  —  October 21, 2021

    Bright and early Wednesday morning, Artan was right on schedule. We loaded our luggage in the back of his big Mercedes and was on our way. We talked Artan into another ATM stop and finding a coffee shop before we headed for Tuscany, Italy’s fertile farmland and historical cities behind walls. 

   Today would be a full day of driving and sightseeing. Artan would earn his money today. Debby, Ron and Steve were in the second row behind Artan. The co-pilot’s chair had to remain empty because of COVID restrictions for tour vehicles. Ron was in the middle, apparently comfortable enough that he was napping right away.   Me, Rhonda in the middle and Nancy took the back seat because we were young and flexible. 

   Our first stop, barely 40 miles from Florence, was the ancient walled city of Siena. It is said that this is perhaps the most beautiful medieval cities in Italy. The Duomo di Siena is a beautiful old church built in the 13th century. 

   The heart of the city is the central piazza known as il Campo. The city hosts the famous Palio run, a bareback horse race, twice around on the huge cobblestone piazza every summer. As one might guess, this dangerous horse race sets a new benchmark for bravery…..or possibly stupidity depending upon how one sees it. At any rate, you can see a rerun of the James Bond thriller, Quantum of Solace to see this event. 

   A huge clock tower stands at the head of the Piazza.  The chimes are loud and the view is said to be amazing. 

   Along the street to Piazza il Campo we walked by some kind of shop that sported a Boar’s head  as a storefront decor.  I snapped a picture without stopping as I later look at my photos with a 7 power magnifier.  This helps me see what I saw!  Hanging on the window in front of the stuffed head was a hand written sign that said, “NO FOTO NO FILM”. Say what??

   Next stop down the. Road was San Gimignano. This is one of Debby’s favorites. She loves the square where she remembered a wedding celebration when we were here in 2016. It is a unique walled city on a hill with excellent views of surrounding vineyards. 

   This city was unique with around 70 high stone towers. Various families had built the towers for protection whenever barbarians threatened the inhabitants or when ruffians came in looting the city. 

   Apparently when the Florentines took over they made the people dismantle the tall towers. Through negotiations not all towers were destroyed. Today about 30 still stand. It is known as the city of towers. Debby and Nancy know it as the city of chocolate falls!

People have been here since first century BC. The walls were not built until the 6th and 7th centuries. This is a beautiful spot in the world. 

   From here we continued our ride through manicured farmlands of grape vineyards and olive groves. Our next walled city was Pisa. If one comes near Pisa one must have a photo op with the leaning tower. One cannot look at this tower without wondering how much leaning can a tower do without falling over?  

   Although the leaning tower of Pisa has been worked on to help stop more leaning, the city fathers would not straighten up the tower even if it was possible. It’s about the only reason tourists, like us, come to push on it.   

   After the excitement we had a bite of dinner just down the street. He was a friend of Artan. 

   Debby asked Artan to talk to the landlady at our next stop. She spoke less English than we spoke Italian. We would be coming in an hour or two late and to find out how we get our room keys.  The lady was not happy and said we would be charged 25 Euros per hour for each hpur we came in after 5:00. Artan tried to calm her down but there was no calming. He told her that was not good business but she yelled even louder. He even told her it was his fault we were late and that he would pay the extra. She wasn’t any happier but she stopped yelling. Artan told me he thinks he knows why she was yelling at him but said he wouldn’t talk about it in mixed company. 

   It was after dark when we reache

Mike Thomas 

Florence , Italy

​Florence   —   October 18, 202

    Taking time out for gas, grub and a couple tinkle breaks, we were on the road to Florence for about 4 hours. The ride was comfortable enough although Rhonda and I rode way in the back as our bodies are more flexible. We arrived in the late evening and appreciated Artan dropping us off right at our door. It was about 9:00. Steve and Rhonda went out to find a cafe and have some dinner. Debby and Nancy walked to a nearby grocery store to get some snacks, coffee and tomorrow’s breakfast. Ron and I stayed back trying to get a feel for our new place and make sure the furniture met our standards. 

   Debby did good!  She rented a 3-bedroom 3-bath condo, complete with kitchen, living room, courtyard and dining room!  It was perfect for six of us, even the location was great. The condo was an old bakery once owned my the Medici’s, a rich and powerful family in old time Florence. In the living room wall, behind the couch, was a half-circle hole in the wall that once was the baking oven!  Pretty cool.

   Artan came over the next morning and picked us up for a free tour. He said it was from him, not the business. We appreciated it. Steve and Rhonda opted to go see the Accaemia Gallery to get their art fix. Artan drove us to a nearby mountain and pointed out some famous sights along the way.  In about 30 minutes we pulled into a parking slot at a hillside terrace overlook that offered 180 degree views of the Arno valley and the sprawling city of Florence. I believe it was called Piazzale Michelangelo. It must be a popular place because quite a few other people were there. He pointed out several landmarks like the Duomo Cathedral, clock tower and some memorials. We sat down in the outdoor coffee shop and enjoyed coffee and conversation.   He told us about his art gallery he is working on.  Sounds unique. 

   After a short photo op we made one more point of interest stop. Farther up the hill was the Basilica of San Miniato, an old 11th century church built in 1018. We stepped for a while and went inside to take some photos. It was very interesting.    One final stop before ending the day was a stop at an ATM. We needed to get some cash to pay Artan for yesterday and the next few days. It’s only business. 

   We returned to our condo for a rest. Steve and Rhonda were still out so Nancy and Debby decided to go shopping.  Ron and I stayed around the condo and napped. Later we decided to take a walk in the neighborhood. I activated “Map my Walk” GPS app on my phone just in case. We didn’t concern ourselves with getting lost now. 

   We went down the street and along the canal. We walked across the Ponte Vecchio admiring the medieval  stone bridge with a myriad of jewelry    shops, stores and cafes. We continued on our walk, circling back home in a little over a mile.

   Nancy fixed breakfast for dinner tonight. That was one way to take care of the groceries. Tonight we pack because Artan is showing up bright and early for a road trip!

Mike Thomas