Day 5  This morning we head off in the bus into the city for a city Tour of Florence and an excursion to see the original David by Michelangelo. Very impressive. Mick sculpted from the form he saw in a block of marble and imagined it in his mind. Others created models to help them. There were a number of unfinished sculptures and it was at this time he was commanded by Pope Julius to stop sculpting and to paint the Sistine Chapel.
  We then guided through Florence and shown the beautiful buildings, churches and bridges.  We walk along cobble stones built by the Romans. After our morning tour we have a free afternoon and we have booked a tour to Pisa. we are waiting at what we thought was the pick up point but no one coming. Ross phones the tour company and  we are on the wrong side of the square, eventually hurry across to the correct side and we are on our way. On our way we pass Carrera marble excavations where all the high quality marble comes from.
Pisa is just three large buildings, Baptistry, Church and the Tower. Nice surroundings though. The Tower does have a significant lean and there is a lot of work going on to stabilise it.  We get dropped off back in the city and catch a bus back to our hotel, ensuring we validate our tickets! We are feeling quite confident about using public transport. After getting off the bus we pick up a few beers for beer o'clock and a good laugh at dinner with our dessert of watermelon!  Everyone is having a great time.

Day 6 Wednesday, today we leave Florence  and head to Venice via Bologna and Padova.  There is a total of 55 on the bus. We arrive in Bologna mid morning  and visit the obligatory church/basilica. All are magnificent but so ornate and ostentatious. Bologna is a lovely town with beautiful buildings and historic arcades that were once part of the city's fortifications and defence towers.   We have lunch at a McDonalds, so we can use the toilets. We then depart for Padova arriving mid afternoon. It has been a lovely drive through the Apennines with beautiful scenery and many tunnels. Another basilica, St Anthonys, we leave Padova and head for Venice arriving about 5 pm. After checking in we find a supermarket and stock up on some snacks, but no cold beer! We find a cold beer place and have a drink before dinner. Tonight we head into Venice and have a boat ride in the grand canal and to St  Mark's Square. The buildings are lit up and it looks fantastic, there are a lot of people, but not crowded. Bands are playing in the square with people standing around. For 25euro you can sit down at a bar and have a beer!! It was a magical night and we get back to our hotel near midnight.

Day 3 Sunday.  Our bus tour starts on Monday and we have been moved to another hotel by the Tour Company.  I thought it was in close vicinity to where we are now, but after a 15 minute drive we arrive at Hotel Santa Costanza. It is about a km walk to the metro and two stations to the Termini. Very quiet area, nothing much open, maybe because it is a Sunday. Naturally rooms are not available, so we park the luggage and head off to the city centre. Ann and Kaye arrange a guided tour of the Colloseum and the Palantine. We get back to the hotel and check in with Basil Fawlty. An arrogant prick. Rooms OK lift was one person and a suitcase.  Before dinner we a few beers at a trendy bar and then head to a local restaurant  for fantastic food and wine. Tomorrow we head to Assisi.

Day 4 Monday Check out of Fawlty Towers and join our bus tour. Bus is late due to heavy traffic, but we eventually board and head off to Rome with our guide Stefano.  For the next 2 hours Stefano talks to the group in Spanish and English, seems to take longer in Spanish! Our first stop is the town of Assisi where we have nearly two hours to explore this historical village.  Our next stop is Sienna and we have a 20 minute walk to the town from where the buses park. It is a fascinating place with narrow cobblestoned streets. We arrive at the famous squares where the horse race occurs. Not a big square and quite a significant slope from one side to the other.  We then travel to Florence where we stay overnight at Hotel Fleming. Very basic but clean. We find a street vendor and but a dozen beers for beer o'clock back in our rooms.

Grounded Day 1

Hi Guys,
with Ross and Karen and John and Kaye now missing out on overseas travel as a result of the China Virus and with us being grounded as a result of mother-in-lawitis, I have decided to resurrect our past travels to remind us of the fun and adventures we have had and to look forward to the time when we can soar aloft again. (I have to find something to do because golf has been cancelled for at least the next two weeks.)

Our first adventure was to Italy and France in 2009, can you believe that is 11 years ago!

Some weeks prior to our departure,  1st August, Costalotta Tours hosted a four course dining experience and presented a Power Point presentation outlining the major aspects of the tour.

Looking back I have found an email dated 11 November 2008 confirming our booking for the "Spirit of Amalfi" tour. It must have been a long nine months waiting to embark on our adventure.

On 3rd September we all met up at Tullamarine airport for a 9.30 pm flight to Roma via Dubai. On arrival in Rome, initial panic until Karen's bags eventually arrive!  Pick up our booked transfer and are taken to Hotel Diana. After freshening up we all head off for a walk. After a short stroll we are at the Colosseum  and the Forum. Head back to Hotel Diana and the roof top bar where Luggy offers the first shout of beers. Later finds out they were 7euro each!  Very generous John.  After beers we head to a restaurant for a lovely pasta dinner and we collapse into bed around 9.30 pm.

Day 2

After a great nights sleep we meet up for breakfast at the roof top garden.  After breakfast we head of to the Metro to train it to the Vatican. Ann finds out where to buy the tickets and which train and direction to go. Trains fast and regular and we shortly arrive at the Vatican. St Peter's square is huge and it is hot and crowded. Very long queues. Ann and Kaye head off to look for local tour guides.  We sign up for a jump the queue tour of the Vatican Museum, and St Peters. There are about 50 people in the tour. The tour guide was from Toronto but very informative. The paintings and frescoes were incredible. The Sistine Chapel was very crowded but amazing.

We have lunch at a restaurant - beers and pizza. Head back to the Metro and get off at the Spanish Steps. We walk down the Via del Condotti, home to Dior, Gucci, Prada etc. Very slow walk by the girls. We get to the Trevi fountain and throw our coins in over the shoulder.  We walk back to our hotel and Ross and I buy beers from one of the roadside shops - very cheap, something like 1euro each! Every one meets up in our room for our very first "happy hour" session!  Head off for dinner around 8 pm and find a place just round the corner from our hotel. Afetr dinner we are provided with a limoncello gratis.  A very enjoyable day.