Paris

Weep, our holiday is almost over. Today we wandered around Paris, enjoying the sights, noise, people and the Parisiens! This is a fabulous city. This is our final posting as we leave tomorrow morning for home. We have had a great holiday and a lot of fun doing this blog. Hope you have all enjoyed it too. See you in a day or two. Bonsoir and Arriverderci!

Paris

Up early to start a long day of sightseeing. We headed off to see Notre Dame Cathedral, which is very impressive. Then onto Ile St - Louis, the smallest of the Siene's islands. It has old 17th century buildings wirh very narrow streets. Lots to see there. Then we hopped on the subway and made our way up to Montmartre, which is perched up on the hill above Paris. It is where the young artists used to hang out. Very artsy and quaint. We took in Sacre Coeur, the white domed church. It is impressive as it is very different from most churches we have seen. The inside of it is very white. Then onto Place de la Concorde, which is the city's largest square, with many fountains, a view of the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. We walked up to the Louvre Museum, then walked along the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. Then onto the Eiffel Tower, still impressive after 30 years. We wandered along the Siene to Pont Neuf, the city's oldest bridge. Lots to see. A very busy city, but very enjoyable. Crepes and croissants were good. Just as well we are walking lots.

Cagliari - Paris

Arrivederci Italia Bonjour Paris! We flew from Cagliari Italy to France today. Will be sad to say goodbye to all that wonderful pasta and cheap wine. But we are looking forward to the French pastries, crepes and baguettes. We took the metro to our hotel, that is well located. The weather is considerably cooler here, by about 15 degrees. It is also raining, but that won't dampen our spirits. Certainly lots going on in this beautiful city. We are anxious to go exploring tomorrow. Today we did see some interesting streets and buildings as well as the Pantheon, but haven't taken any pictures because of the rain. Hopefully it stops and the weather becomes favorable for sightseeing, as there is certainly a lot to see in this beautiful city. Bonsoir.

Pula - Cagliari

Last night we had a great dinner with all the people that did the cycling trip with us. It was a lot of fun and very amusing as we had a waiter who spoke no English. He controlled us very well! This morning we jumped on a local bus and headed to Cagliari, which is the capital city of Sardinia. We said good-bye to our New Zealand friends and went on our separate ways. After settling into our hotel, went went to discover Cagliari. Another pleasant surprise. For a city of this size, we were very surprised how clean it was and still had lots of character. Many narrow, cobblestone streets, churches and old buildings. We wandered up to the Duomo, which is high above the city(lots of steps to climb, with sore legs). An amazing view! We will be sad to say arriverderci to Italy as we have had such a great time, but we do look forward to Pari for a few days. We will miss the food, and especially the gnocchi. We will have to adjust our heads to saying merci instead of graci, but are looking forward to Paris. We fly out from here tomorrow and will be in Paris a few hours later.

Santa Anna Arresi to Pula

A long day was ahead of us. The morning was a little cooler, about 20 degrees, with slight rain. We put on our jackets and headed off for our last full day. We headed along the coastline, with not many villages along the way. The scenery was magnificent with lots of beaches, but unfortunately with the rain pictures would do it no justice. Lots of hill climbing today and our legs were beginning to feel the effects of a 6 day trek. Some of those hills felt worse than the second day when we climbed uphill for 8km. We stopped at a restaurant perched atop a cliff, with a magnificent view. The young girl made us cappuccino, a daily ritual for us now. We will miss them! Then we pedaled onto the town of Chia. These towns were now becoming a little more modern. Lots of new resorts are being built in this area, so very soon there will be many more tourists feasting on this gorgeous area. After a pizza lunch, we hit the road for the last 20 kilometers to our final destination, Pula. The rain started to fall heavily, with the wind also blowing. It made the going a little tougher, but we kept plugging away, despite being saddle sore after 6 days on the seat. We reached Pula, which is a quaint town, with lots happening. Looks like we will get to decide where we are going to eat tonight. Our average temperature today was only 21 degrees. We have enjoyed Sardinia. This is an island that is a little step back in time, with friendly people. We got to experience the beautiful island at a time when not too many tourists are around. A slower pace with lots of history. We travelled over 300 kilometers, 60 of those today. We were grateful to be able to accomplish this without any problems. Not even a flat tire! So tomorrow we will travel to Cagliari to experience a little more of Sardinia.

Calasetta - Sant'Anna Arresi

Another easier day was ahead of us, with the distance to travel only being 40.4 kilometers with only a few hills. The weather once again was warm and sunny, with temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees. We travelled to the little fishing village of Sant'Antioco. Very picturesque with colored buildings, a cobbled boardwalk and many palm trees. The fishermen were present unloading their catch and the locals battering for the best price. After leaving here we travelled across a small bridge, which connected this island to mainland Sardinia. We took a gravel road past flamingos and an active salt mine, one of many in the area. This was quite interesting. Then through the small town of Tratalias. Here was the site of the oldest church in Sardinia. We couldn't get in to see it as it was cordoned off as they were doing some restoration work. Then on past vineyards with branches laden with grapes. We were finally able to sample them fresh off the vines as they were not protected by barbwire or vicious cacti. We then went into the little town of Sant'Anna, which was past our hotel, for a late lunch. We were back at our hotel earlier than normal, so we were able to relax by the pool for a bit. Now is quite a wait till dinner, as your can't get anything till 8 pm. That is normal for dinner time here, and it has taken quite a bit to adjust to. Tomorrow is our last day of cycling, about 60 km and some rain is expected. We will be sad to see this adventure come to an end. 

Somewhere in Sardegna

Hey all,

I just got a call from my parents. They are in Sant'Anna Arresi on the island of Sardegna in the Mediterranean. They don't have any WiFi or internet there, so will update in a couple days. Supposedly it is 36 degrees there. Tomorrow is supposed to be a 45km bike ride in rain.

Wish them luck!

Tim

Nebida - Calasetta

Today was going to be an easier day. Only 43.5 ams and 2 ferry rides. Some rolling hills, but nowhere like yesterday. Before leaving Nebida, which was our overnight stop we stopped to get a different view of Pan di Zucchero and the mines. We then rode for 24 kilometers to the town of Portoscuso. This little town had a beautiful harbor and was a lot like St. Margherita in the Riviera of Italy. We caught the ferry here to go to the island S. Pietro and to the little town of Calaforte. We had about a 13 kilometer loop to take, seeing flamingos and the salt mines. Beautiful countryside and lovely beaches. Then we took another ferry to the next island, Calesseta. This little place looks like it could be in the Greek Island with it's whitewashed houses. Onto our hotel, which is once again in the countryside but very close to the beach. All in all a relaxing day after the previous two hard days. Tomorrow we get to discover more of this island before going back to the mainland. 

Sa Perda Marcada - Nebida

We are hooked! It was exhilarating yesterday and more was to come today.. After breakfast we had the luxury of going downhill after the big climb the day before. We had some smaller hills and our legs were feeling it! Lots of grapes (that we couldn't seem to pick!) along the way, along with lots of goats, with their bells clanking. Rugged, mountainous country. We stopped at a fruit stand to buy fresh produce. When the young girl couldn't understand what we were saying she went and got a dictionary out of the freezer! Good for a chuckle! Our first stop was the little town of Buggerru. It took a lot of effort to get into that place for a cappuccino . We came across the local market, and saw the little daycare children. So cute, as you will see in the pictures. The locals were all in the bar. The men at one table drinking beer (before lunch) and playing cards and the women at another table chatting. Gorgeous beaches on the way and spectacular scenery. Up and down we went and then took a detour to Cala Domestica, a charming bay that was very secluded with beautiful sand. While we were there, there was a photo shoot going on with a model. Wonder if we will see that in an ad somewhere? Then we had an uphill climb, that was almost as difficult as yesterday, climbing 400 meters, with a 10 percent grade in 4 kilometers. Tough in 36 degree heat, with very little breeze. Going down it was a 13 percent grade and incredibly windy, with about 20 hairpin turns. But the view...... Unbelievable. We got closer to the ocean with an incredible view of Pan Di Zucchero(sugar cake bluff) which is on most brochures of Sardinia. Lots of abandoned mines on the way as well. Then onto our hotel for a well deserved refreshment and a recharge for tomorrow. The two hardest days are now behind us. Today was 41 km day(not including detours) and we have now pedaled over 150 kms.

Arborea - Sa Perda Marcada

The real trek begins today! Yesterday was a warm-up for today. After breakfast we were all loaded into 2 vans, along with lure bikes and luggage for the trip to Arborea, where we were going to begin today's cycling at. Our first stop was the supermarket to get food for lunch, as we didn't know what would be available on the way. The first 10 kms were very easy and flat. We passed lots of corn fields, vegetable and dairy farms. We stopped at little fishing village called Marceddi for a cappuccino. This little village had a very strong resemblance to many of the Greek Islands 30 years ago. Little, old fishing boats in the tiny harbor, with the locals bringing in their daily catch. A magical, peaceful spot, unspoiled by tourists. We then began climbing up through the mountains with views of the ocean before us. Lots of rugged coastline, beaches and scattered houses about. There were a few cafe/bars open, which was a real surprise to us. We stopped at a beach for lunch, before another climb. These were quite manageable, but we were always wondering how we were going to do on the last 8 kms.  We followed a sandy road, past some very large sand dunes, actually the tallest in Europe. Many deserted mining towns were also on the way. Once we hit the 44 km mark there was no turning back as we couldn't get a drive back in the van. One of our riding buddies stayed at the checkpoint, waiting for the van while we ventured on. As soon as we hit pavement again the steady climb of 8 kms began, with our goal being 400 meters above sea level ( we started at 35 meters). Lots of switchbacks, but we plugged along, passing churches, crosses on the hillside and abandoned mines. What an accomplishment to reach the top, but we did it. We didn't have to walk. On to an old farmhouse for the night before we continue tomorrow. Today we did a total of 52 kms with lots of hills. Supper was a a fascinating experience, with one long table which about twenty people shared. We enjoyed several courses and ended with a special liqour. Good end to a great day. Buonnasera.   

Cycling the Sinis Peninsula

The adventure begins! Last night we got fitted with our bikes and tried to figure the gears out in the dark. Joe got off on the right foot! Got Andreas to adjust the seat and handlebars, and all of a sudden an older guy comes along and takes the bike. Joe had the wrong bike! Go figure!!! We tried to get away early but the hotel was slow in getting breakfast. We were anxious to get going! We finally hit the open road and got used to the bike. We began to feel a little more comfortable. Our first stop was the little town of Cabras. We stopped for a cappuccino at a little cafe at about 10 am. Some locals were already drinking beer! There was a motorcycle rally going on as well. Lots of bikes going through the little, narrow streets. Pretty loud! Onto Riola, then to Mari Ermi beach. It has quartz sand and we were not allowed to take any home. We followed a sandy road along the coastline. At times it got challenging as the bike tires got stuck in the sand. Not easy to pedal in! There was a lot of natural, protected habitat on the way, and no traffic. WHen we started it was quite overcast and about 25 degrees, pedalling into a head wind. As this was a loop we figured we would get a tailwimd to help us home. It didnt work out that way. The temperature climbed to 36 degrees with an ocean breeze, and we ended with another headwind for the last 8 km leg home. Then on to the ancient village of Tharros, which is an archeological site of ruins. The coast was pretty, with some beautiful beaches and secluded swimming spots. Then onto San Giovanni di Sinis where we thought we could buy groceries, but.... No paved roads and it looks like a ghost town. We did stop for a beer/wine with another couple before heading back to the hotel. We pedaled 52 kilometers that was relatively flat, with a moderate climb. The next two days are our toughest days, with tomorrow having a climb of about 1100 meters! We were given the option to be picked up and transported to the hotel and miss the climb, but we thought we would try it. May regret it tomorrow! Hopefully the hills in Kelowna have prepared us well. Today was a good introduction and so far so good! Very enjoyable!

Sinis Peninsula

This morning was a slower pace. Looked like it was going to rain, but warmed up quite a bit by afternoon. We wandered around Oristano, getting lost a few times. Looked like kids went to school in the morning as they were everywhere before 9am, on a Saturday.  It was interesting that by 1:30pm things really quietened down. This was siesta time. It was even more noticeable in this sleepy little town. We then took a cab out to the Sinis Peninsula, which is where our biking tour starts. The hotel we are staying in is not close to anything, so I guess there is no decision as to where we will eat tonight. We are just awaiting our briefing and bike allocation. Met a New Zealand couple who are biking as well, and not sure how many are going to do the same thing. A little bit of apprehension has set in as to whether we can do this, but there is no backing out now. Once we get on our bikes, it will all fall in place.  

Sardinia

Another early start, but it worked well as we got on the road before the traffic got too heavy. We drove to Bonaficio, which was about half an hour from Porte Vecchio. Another old , fortress town set high on the hillside. We took the ferry to S.Teresa Gallura, which took just under an hour. As we left Bonaficio it looked liked Dover in England, with the stone cliffs. We then drove to along the coast to the northwestern Port of Torres, and then onto Sassari. We felt a little uneasy in Sassari, so we decided to go all the way to Oristano, which is halfway down the island, but closer to the coast. Our bike tour begins on Sunday morning about 5kms. from here on the Sinis Peninsula. Sardinia is quite a bit flatter than Corsica. We are sighing with relief over this! It is also much warmer, in the mid 30's today and the evenings don't cool off as much. Oristano is a quaint little town, with quite a bit of history. Being Friday evening all the locals are out in the piazza socializing, with the kids playing soccer or on skateboards. Teenagers are huddled together in small groups out of the watchful eyes of parents. We found the local hotspot for pizza. One large pizza fits into a 30 inch box! Absolutely huge for 9 euros! We got a slice, which is equivalent to about 3 slices of what we are used to for 2 euros. The place was hopping busy.

Porte Vecchio

Today was a travel day. We left Calvi early and drove down toward the south of Corsica. This is quite a mountainous island. Sure glad we decided not to cycle here. Our first stop was the little town of Corte. All these towns are so old. Then we headed toward the east coast of the island. We arrived in the port town of Porto Vecchio early afternoon. This is also a popular tourist spot. It is once again very warm and sunny, but breezy, which helps. After touring the old town, we walked along the promenade. No shortage of boats of all kinds here. Later in the afternoon we drove to Plage de Palombaggia, which is a trademark beach, and as some of the tourist books say, one of the most beautiful bays in Europe. It was pretty. We are enjoying the food, but finding Corsica much more expensive than Italy. Tomorrow we will drive to Bonificia to catch the ferry to Sardinia, Italy.

Corsica

We spent a good part of the morning walking around the pretty little seaside village of St. Florent. There were some big yachts in the harbor. It was especially fun watching the locals going to the bakery and then walking down the street with a few baguette loaves tucked under their arm. Their baguettes are very good. Then we travelled along a very windy hillside road to the coast. Up in the mountains it was very volcanic. The next town we came across was L'ille Rousse. Another pretty seaside village, with a nice beach. We ate lunch here before heading along the coast to Calvi. This town is gorgeous. Big yachts and boats in the harbor, lots of tourists and lots happening. We will stay the night here before heading south. It is taking us a little to get used to the switch from the Italian to the French language. The baking here is getting very interesting, very French. Very good!  

Arrividerci Italy

This morning we left the beautiful town of Santa Margherita and travelled to The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Still impressive even after 30 years. Just time for a quick visit before the trek to Livorno. The drive there was very impressive, going right through mountains. We travelled through more than 30 tunnels in a span of about 60 kilometers. The tourists in Pisa were just as plentiful as many other popular spots. We then travelled the short distance to Livorno to catch the ferry to Corsica. This was a 4 hour crossing on a large ferry, just like the ones going to Vancouver Island. We arrived in the port of Bastia right at rush hour. Pretty crazy. Cars were doubled parked everywhere, even on the narrow one way streets. We couldn't get out of there fast enough. We travelled on a very windy road up over the top of a mountain, and down the other side to Saint Florent. The views were once again spectacular. Saint Florent is a pretty little seaside village. Plenty of fresh seafood is available in all restaurants. We now have to adjust from the Italian to French Language.
Bonsoir.

Portofino

Monday is quite a contrast from the weekend for the Italian Riviera. School must now be in. A more restful day, with a short five k walk to Portofino. Everyone told us that the walk from St. Margherita to Portofino was a nice, easy walk along the boardwalk what they omitted to tell us that the boardwalk stopped part way! We ended up walking down a very narrow seaside road requiring us to stand aside while traffic passed by. We witnessed a gentleman singing aloud joyfully perched on a rock by the sea. Portofino is a quaint little village with designer brand shops along the harbourside, very upscale. From Portonfino we boarded a boat to visit San Fruttuoso, which can only be reached by boat.  It is very primitive, with a few restaurants, an Abbey and a tower.  A boat ride return to Santa Margherita and a relaxing afternoon. The water in this area is a gorgeous aquamarine blue, and many large, luxurious yachts are in the various harbors. Our legs are still feeling the effects of the trek in Cinque Terre yesterday. We must have needed it to ensure that we will still be in shape for our bike tour next week.  

Cinque Terre

We don't know if there are words to describe today. We got up early and took the train the the bottom town(Riomaggiore) in Cinque Terre. It was about an hour train ride. The little fishing village is carved into the steep mountainside. What a sight. We bought a pass that enabled us to hike the trails between all the villages. The first section was an easy, flat kilometer that bought us to Manarola. Another fishing village high up on the mountain. Many tourists sunbathing on hard rocks and concrete surfaces! No soft sandy beaches here. We witnessed a small boat being hoisted from the small inlet up to the village by a crane. Pretty interesting. Then onto the next village, which was another three kilometers away. This was pretty flat as well. This little town was called Corriglia. We stopped for a look around and a bite to eat. Many narrow streets. We had to climb 365 steps up to the village. We decided to go down to the marina to look so we went down as many steps again. We found that this took us nowhere, except the marina so we had to climb back up again. This was the equivalent of a step class! The next leg of the journey was the longest trek. It was 4 kilometers and also a lot more challenging. Lots of steep inclines, steep declines and narrow paths. But it was worth it as the views were spectacular. Lots of steep cliffs, mediterrean views, grapes and olives. This took us well over an hour and a half to walk, but the end result was well worth it. Vernazza was the destination and probably the most spectacular of all. In actual fact the background of our blog is this particular scene. Lots of sun tan lotion, muscles, speedos, its bitsy bikinis ( and some not so its bitsy) plus fishing boats, cafes, umbrellas and the list goes on. Truly gorgeous. We took a break for a well deserved gelato, which didn't disappoint. Then onto our final destination of Monterosso. This was another 3 kilometers, but the hardest trek of all. Truly spectacular scenery, but very steep climbs and inclines. You certainly had to be very careful as at times as the paths were so narrow that only one lane could go through and there were no guard rails. Not for the faint at heart! Monterosso was another spectacular place dotted in the Mediterranean. We stopped for a well deserved break and had a nice cold wine and beer. Our reward. Then onto the train back to St. Margherita, totally exhausted. We started our trek at 10am and finally finished the last leg at 4:30pm. We were totally exhausted, but exhilarated. We thought it would take two days to cover the five villages,and are delighted to have done the whole trek in one day. Tomorrow we plan a walk down to Portofino. Bounesera!

Italian Riviera

Time to leave Tuscany and travel onto the Italian Riviera. We left Cortona at a reasonable time and travelled on the autostrada. We made a stop at Lucca. This is a good sized city, with the old part of the town encircled by a 2.5 kilometer Renaissance wall. This was another busy tourist attraction. There was a big Roman Ampitheater in the centre of town. Like all the other towns in Tuscany there was a large cathedral that was the focal point, along with many piazzas! We are so thankful for modern technology, especially the gps. Our gps seems to not be quite as responsive as we need. The streets come much quicker than what the gps vocalizes and we seem to miss turns every now and the. Today we missed getting back on the autostrada and we ended up going about 30 minutes on a small country road through ,any small towns, the finally we returned to the autostrada and continued to the riviera, which is not that far from Genoa. We really began to see the difference in the terrain. The scenery became even more mountainous and much greener. Tunnels were drug right through the mountains, some of them being over 1.5 kilometers long. There were many of them, too many in fact that we lost count. We arrived in Santa Margherita by late afternoon. This town is right on the Mediteranean, with yachts and cruise ships in the harbor. Very pretty. Lots of rich people, that was very obvious. Streets are very narrow, and it is recommended that as a tourist that you don't drive here. So tomorrow, we are going to take the train to Cinque Terre and leave the car parked here. It was a very warm day today, so hopefully the sun keeps shining in this paradise.

Montalcino

This is our last day in the Cortina area before we drive to Cinque Terre tomorrow. We started the day quite leisurely before hitting the road again. We drove about an hour from here to a place called Montalcino. This is the heart of wine country. It is a valley that is prime wine country, obviously because of the terrain and climate. In the last 50 years this region has had only 3 bad years for wine production. You can really see the difference in the landscape here, from the Cortona area. In this area you could almost be in the Okanagan Valley, except for the language and the crazy drivers! Once again, Montalcino is a lot like the other small towns we have seen, with the narrow cobblestone streets and the old, stone buildings. The big difference here is that there are even more wine stores and bars, with lots of sampling available. The Italians are very proud of their wines from their own regions. I don't think we can buy any more, we will never be able to drink it all! It is like being in a candy store..... Then we went onto Asciano. Just before we reached the actual town we came across the Abby di M Oliveto Maggiore which is a huge monastery nestled in the hillside. We couldn't get into the actual monastery because we had shorts on. The town of Asciano, was not as touristy, and appeared " newer". In that we mean by a few hundred years. The streets were quite a bit wider and the buildings not quite as old. A lot of these old towns date back to the 1400's. Then we went back to Cortona to enjoy a glass of wine on the patio before venturing out for dinner. Tomorrow we will have about a four hour drive before we arrive at the Italian Riveria.

Florence

A return to Florence, this time traveling by high speed train. This is the best method of getting into large cities,and cost less than parking a car. We returned to see Michelangelo's statue of David. The detail is truly remarkable, looking life like in every respect. No pictures allowed like 30 years ago.
Shopping in Florence has to top the list for shopping enthusiasts. The many roadside vendors are keen to negotiate. The market is a buzz with activity, as is the entire city. Cars, buses, motorcycles and pedestrians all vie for space on the narrow streets. One of the funniest sights we saw was during a sudden downpour of rain. A young lady, in a short skirt, was riding a pushbike (the old style without the gears. One of those with the little basket in the front). She stopped, put up her umbrella, then continued to ride. What a sight. With so many tourists, returning to Cortona will be a welcome relief. We like the pace there much better.

Montepulciano

Today was a relaxing day. After exploring Cortona a little more we decided to venture back to Montepulciano, and then onto to Pienza. This was from a recommendation from Andreas who manages the apartments. Another local from Cortona said the people of Montepulciano were more friendly than those in Pienza. She was right on. Montepulciano is very proud of it's wine heritage. We explored this walled town a little more, as the first time we ventured there it was late and we rushed quite a bit. The weather was very unpredictable today, and a severe storm hit so we rushed into a small cafe for cover. There we had a cappuccino and some baking. In this same cafe was a wine area, where they had 20 different varieties available for sampling. After exploring Montepulciano we drove onto Pienza, no more than 15 minutes away. Another very quaint village with only local road traffic. It was the birthplace of Pope Pius ll, who transformed the town in the 15th century from a simple village to a splendid town. There was also a funeral procession through the town's streets the priest walked ahead of the funeral cars with the congregation following on foot.The priest read from his holy book while walking. One thing we noticed was the absence of black clothing on the worshippers, most were in casual clothing or jeans! The countryside is a storybook, picturesque landscape. It is continous, with no disappointments anywhere. We drove onto 2 other random villages that we picked out on the map. They were Torrita di Siena and Sinalunga. Both of these were void of tourists and very quiet, but also very, very old.
After returning to Cortona we stopped at a wine/bar/deli to replenish our stock of meat,cheese and wine. Vino is a bargain,and Joe is having way too much fun with meats he is not allowed to eat at home. The sausages, the proscuitto, the cheeses...
Back at the apartment we were able to sample the delicacies and vino, as you will see in the photo we will post.
Ciao!

Umbria

Today we ventured into Umbria. Our first stop was the town of Perugia, which is about a 45 minute drive from Cortona. Another pleasant surprise. We ventured through the underground city, with it's old, stone, narrow tunnels, to the Arco Etrusco, which is an Etruscan monument. The view from here was once again spectacular, overlooking the countryside of Umbria, which is very lush and green. Then we wandered through the Palazzo to the Duomo (Cathedral di San Lorenzo) which was stunning. There were many other points of interest throughout the palazzo. We enjoyed a nice lunch at one of the many cafes before heading off to Assisi. This little town is up on the mountainside as well. It is amazing how many churches there are in such a small village. Everything is so old. Even the clay tiles on the roofs look like the originals. Some date back to the 4th century, while others are built a thousand years later, and still over 600 years old. Below the mountain top village in lower Assisi is the Basillica. Inside this big church is the original, small chapel which is over 500 years old. Truly spectacular and yet very peaceful. The day was a little more relaxing than the hustle and bustle of Florence. Returning home we backtracked through Perugia and were bottlenecked with a car accident in one of the many tunnels. The gelato is to die for. Nothing at home compares to this, and oh so many flavors to choose from! We are thrilled that so many of You are enjoying reading this,and we love hearing from you.
Buonasera.

Florence

Another adventurous day! What better than starting the day with a cappuccino . The best way to enjoy one of these is to go into a little cafe, order at the bar and enjoy them with the locals. Onto the autostrada to Florence. This highway is absolutely amazing. The speed limit of 30 kilometers is far too fast for us, but jammed full of trucks and cars moving very quickly. We stopped in a little town called Fisole, where we parked the car. It is in the hills above Florence where we then boarded a local bus into the heart of Florence What a city! Big, busy and literally thousands of tourists. We are in awe that there can be that many tourists in one spot! We visited the Duomo, which is the massive cathedral. It is the largest brick dome in the world. Then we went onto the Ponte Vecciho. This bridge is a famous landmark with jewelry stores on either side. Then we meandered through the streets, in and out of piazza's. We went through the markets, and if you compare them to Honolulu, these are mostly leather goods, along with your usual tourist merchandise. In returning, we took the bus back to Fisole, but didn't get off at the last stop, thinking that we were going further so that we could pick up our car. Before we knew it we were going back to Florence! We jumped off at the first stop and then hiked back up the hill to find out we had to change buses to get to our final destination. Fortunatly we marked on the gps where our car was located, otherwise we would be still looking for it. We are getting more experienced each day. We barely touched on Florence and plan to return later in the week. We will then try to go to the Uffizzi Gallery to see Michelangelo's David. Tomorrow will be a quieter day, especially after the hectic day we just experienced.

Siena

This morning we ventured off to Siena. It is about an hours drive from Cortona. This is a larger, busier village on a mountain. Similar to Cortona, but much busier. The center piazza was very large and full of caves and bars. It was very easy to get lost, which we did. We had a lot of trouble finding our vehicle. The gelato was awesome. We had a wonderful experience purchasing Italian meats, cheeses and wine. Due to the language barrier we were given samples till we discovered something we really liked, which wasn't too hard. Joe is happy with his prosciuto and salami. After leaving Siena we drove on the town of Montepulciano. On the way we passed fields of sunflowers. They are abundant everywhere. Unfortunately it appears they are almost done, so we did not see them in their full bloom. It would be an awesome sight. Lots of figs, grapes and sunflowers in this area. Montepulciano is another small village town high up on the mountainside. Stunning! The wine, cheese and meat stores are everywhere and very enticing. We are beginning to run out of descriptive words to describe this area. It is so amazing.

Tuscany

This morning we picked up our rental car at Campino Airport outside of Rome. We took a road that was 3000 years old! Truly amazing. Then we drove north on the autostrada towards Florence. We were going 110 km/h and were being passed. We stopped in Orvieto, which is in Umbria. This hillside town is over 3000 years old, with caves underneath it. After a few hours exploring we ventured back on to the autostrada to make our way to Cortona, in the heart of Tuscany. This walled town is perched high up on the hillside, overlooking the Tuscany countryside. We drove up an extremely windy, narrow road and parked outside of the towns walls. No driving on those little, narrow, cobblestone roads. Only the locals can. We now understand why the vehicles are small. Anything too large would never be able to get around. Our apartment is right in the main piazza. A wedding was going on right there as we came in. We then wandered the tiny, narrow and in parts, very steep streets. Truly picturesque. I can see why they filmed movies here! Another Italian pasta meal. I don't think we will get tired of it, although we may need to walk more! Joe is ready to take cooking lessons, to try and improve on his pasta sauce! And the vino. 2 Euros for a 1/4 litter. Less than water. I guess you know what we are going to drink.

We have a strong appreciation of Rome from our two days here. We wandered through Piazza's and walked to the Vatican City.
St. Peters Bascilica is grandiose! We could literally take hundreds of pictures. Saint Peters Square was massive.  We could imagine when it is full of people, though there are plenty of tourists about even in September. We wandered through the Vatican City to the Sistine Chapel, and were again in awe even after 30 years. We couldn't imagine trying to value that real estate, as well as the artwork and gold.  
We took a break at a small cafe in a lane for a glass of vino. Pizza is better in Canada. Then on to the Spanish Steps. The number of tourists here is mind boggling. Lots of high end fashion and no shortage of tourist vendors. The pace should become a little quieter tomorrow when we venture towards Tuscany. Driving will be interesting. Being a pedestrian in Rome has it's hazards. It's taking your life into your own hands. Even at a marked crosswalk it becomes questionable whether the driver will stop. You can't hesitate otherwise they will keep on driving qto try to beat you. Lots of mopeds and Vespa's.  

Rome

We have had an eventful trip so far.  A two hour delay out of  Vancouver had us running to catch the next plane in Montreal.  We arrived in Rome to a warm sunny day. After checking into to our tiny hotel, we have walked all day.  We started our day with a cappachino and snack at a little cafe bar. We have seen the Collisseum, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Lots of sidewalk cafes and narrow cobblestone streets.  Will have full internet tomorrow ad add more then.