Reflecting

Well, we’ve been back from our Italy adventure for a bit over a week now and it’s time to reflect on our travels. We have two subjects to talk about this time: Italy itself and traveling on a formal tour as compared to rolling our own. Let’s start with our thoughts on Italy.

And those are: wow! We had a great time. From the hustle and bustle of Rome to the coast of Cinque Terre, we saw things old and new, appreciated great art and great food, and enjoyed the Italian people and culture in ways that exceeded our expectations. We learned that good food can be incredibly simple, good wine can be incredibly inexpensive and good art can be found everywhere. Everywhere.

Some of our memories include:

Learning how pesto is made (it’s extremely simple) in a swanky hotel on the Italian Riviera.
Being stopped on a side-street in Florence for a short lecture on the history of the street and the flooding of the river by an Italian gentleman who didn’t speak a word of English. Actually, we’re not sure just what we were lectured on, but he was certainly passionate about it.
The best people watching we have ever experienced. Both women and men, no matter the age, were stylish and handsome.
On a related note, watching women walk the cobblestone streets in extremely high heels was interesting and a bit scary.
A taxi ride through Rome that was comparable to any Disney ride. An experience in itself.
Discovering that wherever there is a beautiful view the Italians have placed an establishment to enjoy the spot with a glass of wine. Quite civilized.
As usual, we were rewarded by unplanned activities. After being caught in the rain we ducked into the nearest site, the Medici Chapel, where we found ourselves in a room with several Michelangelo statues.
I was attacked by a urinal. But that’s a story for another time.

Bottom line is that we would return in a heartbeat. There’s more to do.

As to the Rick Steves tour that we were on, we couldn’t be happier. Our guide, Cecilia, was a wonderful woman, passionate about her country and eager to show it off. The other travelers were people that we were comfortable to journey with and as filled with the joy of new experiences as we are. Having local guides added a dimension to the places we went that is impossible to achieve otherwise. Comfortable hotels, excellent meals, great company, what else could we ask for? We would not hesitate to go on another tour with Rick Steves.

Here’s just a handful of the many beautiful shots we took. You’ll be seeing more in the weeks ahead.