The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Said Big Ben to the Leaning Tower of Pisa; "If you have the inclination, I have the time".

Levanto was in our rear view mirror right after breakfast at Hotel Dora. We had lots to see today so we had an early start, well is 8:30am early? We pulled into Pisa a couple hours later and had to park the car out of town and walk in. It was about 102 degrees. The town is very cute and how it holds all those tourists I do not know. But when you go through the gate and see that beautiful church with the Leaning Tower of Pisa right there in front of you it kind of takes your breath away. It is so very beautiful and inspiring. I understand it is just a bell tower built in competition with Florence, but that does not take away from its beauty. We walked around and shopped for post cards took some pictures and went into the church. I know I do and will use the word beautiful too many times, but everything I see, every church, monument, building,painting, sculpture, is beautiful. My son and husband took beautiful pictures so I will put them on tomorrow. They are in bed already!

More Cinque Terre

Via dell' Amore! Love at First Sight! Cinque Terre!

Bud and I picked up Travis and Carleigh from the airport in Milan and we officially started our funfilled adventure. First stop was Levanto, just north of the Cinque Terre. Travis had been there before which was great becaus he sort of knew his way around. Well things look familiar anyway.
We were going to stay in La Spezia at first stages of planning, but they were not flying in till 12:30pm and I thought we wouldn't get out of the airport till 1pm and I wanted to have as much time in Cinque Terre as possible and La Spezia was another 30 minutes away south. We didn't get out of the airport till 2pm after getting luggage and renting the car.
Oh and the car is awesome, he upgraded us to an AUTOMATIC and a larger suv type Chevy Orlando. We love it! And we didn't have to pay extra!!!!
So south we drove on the Autostrada and made it into Levanto and walked to the train station from our Hotel Dora and caught the local train to Riomaggiore and walked on the Via dell' Amore (Walk of Love) along the cliffs up abve the Mediterranean Sea to Manrola. It was so beautiful being there at sunset! We then took the train to Monterosso and had dinner at a little outside cafe, pasta of course and then the adventure began!
We went to the train station and there was only one train left to come by...at least that is what the schedule said. We waited and waited and waited. Trains would come through but not stop. An announcement would come out from speakers in Italian but we didn't understand. Then people started walking across the bridge to track number 2 but the schedule said the train was suppose to come on track number 1. We heard the train coming and rain across to track two and was able to catch the train! Whew!

We stayed at the Best Western Premier Cristopher Colombo Hotel right in the center of town, I used my points from my Best Western account. We had a small balcony overlooking the street below. Very nice rooms! And wonderful breakfasts. When we went to check in the room wasn't ready so they held our suitcases for us and we went out for a walk, a very long walk. We went to the right and found the Florence Duomo which is so very beautiful. Then we went to the left and saw some cute shops and had dinner outside on their little table, watching people go by. Then the next morning I had booked us into a tour of the "Last Supper" painted by Leonardo Da Vinci! We also toured the Castello Sforzes which is being restored as we talk. Beautiful setting! Then we packed up and took at taxi to the airport to pick up Travis and Carleigh and the rental car...Let the adventure begin!!!

Milan, Italy

We landed in Mila, Italy at 8:00am. It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to our hotel.

After we flew into Milan, we had to find the train that we needed to ride on till we were able to get on the yellow metro and then transfer to the yellow Metro! So guess what: We didn't know where we were or how to find our way back to the hotel. Lucky for you the hotel desk clerk gave us a map so we could find our way, I highly recommend one. So after about wrong turns, bad information, we finally walk to the Church( Duomo) and it is so big and beautiful. The Piazza is also full of very interesting people and it was so fun just to be there!

Flying All Night! Then a Sunrise!

Ciao everybody! We have taken off for Milan. We are flying Delta! We watched three movies: Moneyball, Journey to Mysterious Island and my favorite, The Exotic Marigold Hotel! And we both slept quite a bit. But the movies were all good. Then when we woke up the sunrise was happening and it was so very beautiful!

Flying all night feels really unreal. No beds but you are so sleepy that you sleep

anywhere!I thought Delta did a little better with legroom as compared to United Airlines. And then the beautiful sunrise! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh