Two and half weeks of blissful travel.  In the dead heat of August, started in magical Venice, and trained to Florence.  Never was there a city like Florence.  So beautiful, so full of art and architecture.  Everywhere you look is a wonder of craftsmanship.  The people are lovely and warm (except when I asked for ice for my coffee, ouch!)

Trekking to the top of Michaelangelo’s hill and having fresh caprese with wine at a little cafe that overlooks the whole city, so lovely and perfect.  Every bite of fresh basil and summer fresh tomatoes sprinkled with sweet balsamic and olive oil that tastes like it was pressed yesterday.   The sun, the slight breeze, and the site of olive trees, castle walls, and a walled river that twists on to the Mediterranean.   Like a postcard, it was.

Every day was a new treat, from Florence we went to Rome and climbed the tower inside the Vatican Doumo.   The Vatican Museum, the trains, we walked every where to get a better taste of the cities themselves.   I was in heaven until my son went on strike from museums, palazzos, and really anything old… finally, we had to seek out a Hard Rock for the boy… and he deserved it.

However, since there is no Hard Rock in Florence, we had to make a bolt to Rome!  Oh, poor babies… more old stuff for me and hamburgers and english for David.