Tuesday, November 5th

After a stormy night we woke up to a rainbow! Following breakfast, we boarded minibuses and made our way down the hill to catch another bus that would be transporting us along the Amalfi coastline. Our drive was breathtaking! There were sheer cliffs and hillsides; olive, lemon and orange groves; and spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea. 


We stopped at various points as we made our way to Amalfi. In Positano we visited a gift shop known for its tilework. Some had a coffee. Others spent time shopping or taking pictures at the overlook.







Our time in Amalfi gave us time to do more shopping and time for lunch. The town was in preparation for a funeral when we arrived - flowers, etc. 

Leaving Amalfi, we had to go back the way we came so the folks on the other side of the minibus got to see the view over the cliff. We went back to the town of Sorrento for more shopping time - more gelato! We had to exchange minibuses in order to go to the hotel. Back at the hotel we had dinner: baked pasta pie, roasted beef with mushroom sauce, sauteed carrots, potatoes with rosemary, and for dessert - mixed gelato. 

Following dinner a group went to Sorrento for an optional excursion that included a drink and a musical show. We had a drink but then we were rushed inside the auditorium to wait 30 minutes for the show to start. The show was pretty good - an Italian music review - including "Come Back to Sorrento". 

The group made its way back to the hotel. Time to pack! Tomorrow we go to Pompeii and then on to Rome!

Monday, November 4th

Bags out at 7:30 a.m. A wonderful breakfast in our cute breakfast room at the Embassy in Florence. The staff was so wonderful waiting on us - making us feel right at home. Some of us made sandwiches for lunch. 

Departing at 8:30 a.m. we began our journey south to the cliff-top town of Sorrento - a 5-hour motorcoach ride. We traveled along a fertile region with fields of produce, vineyards, hilltop towns, views of Mount Vesuvius, and the Isle of Capri. We stopped for lunch at a hotel restaurant. Those who made sandwiches found a picnic spot with wicker chairs, canopy and mountain view. 



Sorrento overlooks the Bay of Naples. Many viewpoints allow sight of the city of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri. Sorrento is famous for the production of limoncello, a digestif made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water, and sugar. Other agricultural products includes citrus fruit, wine, nuts, and olives. Wood craftsmanship is also important for the city of Sorrento. Prior to going to the hotel, we went to the town center for a wood inlay demonstration followed by some freetime in Sorrento. On the way we ran into a traffic jam in Sorrento that took us about an hour to go about a mile and a half. While in Sorrento, Lisa and I had some lemon gelato. 

Our hotel was on a hill overlooking Sorrento. The motorcoach was too big to get up the hill so we had to take minibuses to the top (often crowded). Once we checked in our room we discovered that we had a lovely view of the Bay of Naples. 

Dinner was at the hotel restaurant. We had rigatoni with vegetables, chicken, spinach, duchess potatoes, and a sampler dessert plate. 

Following dinner - happy hour and time to unpack and get ready for another day. During the night a storm passed over Sorrento - the power went out and because the rooms were set up with a key that turned the power on and off at the door, the television would come on and have to be turned off each time the power went off and came back on. Because of this, many had a restless night.

Sunday, November 3rd

Arriving in Florence we made our way to an overlook - Piazzale Michelangelo - that would allow us a panoramic view of the city. Known for its red tiled roofs, Florence sits along the Arno river in the middle of the Tuscan hills. 

Our morning walking tour of Florence began with a visit to the Academia which houses Michelangelo's original statue of David. The statue is possibly the world's most famous statue. The statue - about 17 feet tall - was commissioned by the Florentine republic, who saw the biblical hero laying the giant Goliath as a symbol for the creation of the nascent republic. The statue, which was created by Michelangelo in 1501-1504 from a single block of marble, was instantly admired for its proportions and attention to detail. The statue brought instant fame to the 29-year-old Michelangelo. 

The Duomo di Firenze, the Florence Cathedral, dominates the cityscape. Built between 1296 and 1436, the cathedral is one of the largest in the world. (Architect: Brunelleschi)

The Florence Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city, constructed between 1059 and 1128 in the Florentine Romanesque style. The octagon had been a common shape for baptisteries for many centuries since early Christian times. The Church of Santa Croce Baptistry is know for its "Gates of Paradise" doors. With eight panels - the number eight is a symbol of regeneration in Christianity, signifying the six days of creation, the Day of Rest, and a day of re-creation through the Sacrament of Baptism. Before anyone could enter a Christian church, he or she had to be baptized. Thus, the baptistery was a separate building outside the church.

The Giotto Bell Tower is faced with white, red, and green marble like the Cathedral. The majestic square-based bell tower, begun in 1334, was probably created more as a decorative rather than functional element. The hexagonal and lozenge panels express the concept of universal order and the story of redemption. The reliefs begin with the creation of man and continue with the representation of human's activities: the planets that regulate the course of existence, the virtues that strengthen, the liberal arts that educate, and the sacraments that sanctify. 

Continuing our walking tour, we made our way to the Piazza della Signoria. The Loggia dei Lanzi at the piazza contains a number of original sculptures. The steps offered a place for folks to sit and people watch or enjoy lunch. The Neptune Fountain with the figure of Neptune in the middle of the fountain speaks of the Florentines dominion over the sea. 

Leaving the Piazza della Signoria we passed the Uffizi Gallery where there was a long line of folks waiting to go inside. There were also street performers along the way. The Ponte Vecchio was pointed out to us. The bridge built in 1345 is covered in houses. Initially the houses were for shopkeepers such as butchers and tanners. Due to the stench, the shops were changed to goldsmiths, etc in 1593. Today, the bridge houses shops for tourists, jewelry stores, etc. 

                              
Our walking tour ended at a leather and gold shop where demonstrations were done to show the difference between fake and genuine leather as well as gold. Several folks were picked out to model various leather coats and gold jewelry was passed around the room. Following the demonstration, we had about 2 hours of free-time to eat lunch and do some shopping. Lisa and I ate at Cafe Bistrot. We shared a pizza and did some people-watching. While we were sitting there a carriage driver went by wearing an Auburn University cap. We yelled, "War Eagle!"  



Several made their way back to the hotel. Lisa and I went to get gelato at a place recommended by the tour guide - Vivilo. Yum! After the gelato, we made our way inside the Duomo di Firenze and back to the Ponte Vecchio before walking back to the hotel.

At 6:45 p.m. the group walked to dinner. We ate at Il Giardino. We had bruschetta with tomatoes, sliced pork (cinta senese), salad, and Tuscan beans. For dessert we had panna cotta. A strolling accordion player came in, played a few songs, and begged for money! 

 

Back in the room we prepared for an early departure and we bid goodnight to a wonderful visit to Florence.

Saturday, November 2nd

After a full breakfast we left Venice and made our way to Pisa, located in the western Tuscany region of Italy. Our drive took us through serene landscapes – rolling hills and vineyards.  We saw Cyprus trees, Medieval “hilltop” villages, and castle ruins.

On our way, we made a stop at an AutoGrill (sort of like a rest area with a restaurant and convenience store along the autostrada) for lunch.  Some had gathered some bread, meat and cheese at the breakfast buffet and had a picnic on the curb.

In Pisa, we visited the Piazza dei Miracoli (the Field of Miracles). On the piazza rests four impressive buildings: the breathtaking Duomo (cathedral) – the bell tower (Leaning Tower) – the Camposanto (Holy Field – cemetery) and the circular Battistero (Baptistery). We were able to enter the Duomo during our visit. We were also able to pose in front of the Leaning Tower in various positions making it appear we were holding it up or pushing it down. The visit to the Camposanto was interesting. It is said the cemetery was built around a shipload of sacred soil from Golgotha brought to Pisa from the Fourth Crusades.

Making our way to and from the Leaning Tower we were approached by peddlers trying to sell us an umbrella for 5 Euro. I don’t think anyone in our group made a purchase but it was interesting to see who was approached.

Boarding the bus with a few sprinkles in the air we made our way to Florence. We checked in at the Embassy Hotel in Florence. The hotel was quite nice. Checking in to the room we discovered that the room key was inserted in a device in the wall. This allowed you to have electricity. Once it was removed from the wall device, everything turned off.

After a few moments to prepare for dinner we walked to La Grotta di Leo. Our starter was grilled radicchio with scamorza cheese. I will not be adding this to my list of favorite recipes! Most gave it a taste.  For our main dish was rolled beef with percorino cheese and vegetables. Okay. Then, the tiramisu. Uhmmm! Wonderful!

Walking back to the room – we called it a day and made ourselves ready for a full day in Florence.

Friday, November 1st

We had a smooth flight from Atlanta to Frankfurt (October 30 - October 31). Like most flights to Europe - you leave around 6 p.m. About an hour-and-a-half into the flight dinner was served (chicken and rice or vegetable pasta). Following dinner, some watched movies, some read, and some slept. Throughout the night, at various intervals someone was coming by asking if you wanted juice or water. Then, when you think you are in a deep sleep, the lights are turned on and breakfast is served - about 2 hours out of Frankfurt. With breakfast out of the way, we got ready to get off the plane. 





In Frankfurt we had to walk to our flight to Milan. It was quite a walk! We had plenty of time - over 3 hours before our flight! Several read during our layover. Others slept. At the Lufthansa gate there was a free coffee/cappachino machine - we all took advantage of it!
 When it was time for our flight to depart for Milan - we were ready to go. Boarding the flight we found ourselves in seats scattered around the plane! Few couples were sitting together. We thought we could handle it thinking it was an hour and 10 minute flight. The plane could not take off due to technical difficulties so we sat for about 45 minutes for some repairs to be made. 
     The flight to Milan was uneventful (thank God!). We had a sandwich for lunch and it wasn't long before we were landing in Milan. Departing the flight we made our way to baggage claim and then on to the bus that would take us to the hotel in Venice - a 3-hour drive through the lake district of Italy. Our tour guide, Jon Bouillot met us and shared a little bit of info regarding Milan on the way to the hotel. Among his information, "Milan works and Rome eats!"  
    By the time we got to the hotel (6:30 p.m.) we were exhausted but we still made it downstairs for dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Italian dinner was pasta, sliced pork, peas, new potatoes and a slice of apple pie with a hint of lemon. Following the meal it was off to bed - a place folks were looking forward to!
     November 1 - Up at 7 a.m. Breakfast at 8 a.m. Depart at 9 a.m. The hotel sat next to a walking park and in the distance you could see Venice Island. We departed the hotel via bus and drove about 15 minutes to a port where we boarded a water taxi to carry us to Venice Island. Approaching San Marco square from the water was breathtaking. The weather was beautiful!
     We had about 30 minutes to wander around Piazza San Marco before our tour of the Doge's Palace - which included the Golden Staircase and the Bridge of Sighs.
   Today was All Saints Day so the Basilica San Marco was closed part of the day for services. The lines to get in to the Basilica were quite long.
    Following our tour, we had free time until 6:30 p.m. For lunch, some brought a sandwich they had made from bread, meat and cheese from off the breakfast bar. Others stopped at a cafe. Some had gelato for lunch. At 2:30 p.m., an optional excursion was offered - a gondola ride! About 18 of the group took advantage of this opportunity. The gondola ride took us to some of the back avenues of Venice Island. We had an accordion player and a singer who escorted us with music the entire ride. It was a true Venice experience!

     At 3:30 p.m. another excursion was offered - a trip to Murano to see a glass blowing demonstration, etc. 
     At 6:30 p.m. we gathered for dinner at Taverna dei Dogi - a restaurant on the island. We had short pasta with meat ragout, roasted chicken with buttered spinach, a mixed salad, creme caramel and bread. It was a lovely meal. In the restaurant were 2 other NAWAS tour groups. 

     Following dinner we made our way back to the water taxi and then on to the hotel for the evening. Today was quite a day in Venice!! 

October 30, 2013

Late night last night making final preparations! We weren't sure we would be able to sleep even though it was 2 a.m. 

Coffee's ready! Clothes have been gathered and rolled.

Let's see if they fit! Ta da! Excellent!

 Got them zipped up with no problems. Now we wait...

Last minute check - passport? check! e-ticket? check! Auburn gameday clothes? check!

The motor coach will carry us to the Atlanta airport - departing at 2 p.m. today. Arriving at the airport we'll check in at the new International terminal Lufthansa desk. We're flying Lufthansa to Frankfort, Germany (Flight #445) departing Atlanta around 5:50 p.m. There are 33 of us making our way to Italy for a 10-day tour. From Frankfort we'll fly to Milan - in Milan we'll take a motor coach to Venice giving us an opportunity to see the beautiful Italian Lake District!!

Our arrival in Venice will be on October 31st around dinner time. 

Looking forward to a wonderful trip!