Back (But not really)

It's Sunday night in Rome and we have just returned from a long day at the Capitoline Museum. Tomorrow we walk through the ruins of ancient Rome including the Colusseum. The internet connection in Barberino was turned off due to the new requirements for anti-terrorism. That was okay because it was wonderful to relax and not do too much. I took lots of photos and have lots to write about the town as well as Florence, Siena, and now Rome. Since no-one has WiFi here, I can't attach pictures, and I will probably wait until later and focus on the touristy stuff for a few days.

In case you want to know: Renting an apartment is a great way to go if you travel with 4 or more people. They have refrigerators, washing machines and are located right where you want to be. The cost is also a little bit cheaper than hotel rooms after you divvy up the costs. Today we're staying in a corner of Medieval Rome, 20 minutes one way, we're at the Forum. 20 minutes the other way and we're in the Vatican.

Barberino was beautiful, quiet and everything I hoped it would be. Even Italian visitors stood on our apartment balcony and appreciated our view. (Photos coming when I get WiFi.)

Ryanair is a great deal. It's run very strictly so follow their instructions, but it's so efficient that we walked off the airplane in our destination 30 minutes early!

Signing Off (Maybe for a week)

Hello all,

I finally got an internet wifi spot to send my posts to the blog. My time's up in five minutes and then I'll join the rest of the gang resting at the cafe (Did I mention it's hot here?).

Venice has been wonderful and we weren't here long enough to see all the treasures.

Tomorrow we leave early in the morning for Barberino Val d'Elsa. Don't know if there will be Wifi so there may be no updates for a week.

Ciao,

Dave

Santo Giorgio Maggiore

Santo Giorgio Maggiore
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

One of the things I saw while wandering lost.

I Took 150 Pictures Today

I Took 150 Pictures Today
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

The pictures I'm attaching now are those from early this morning. I wanted to take pictures in morning light so I set the alarm for 7. I crept out into the world of working venetians. It was lovely beyond words. Venice is filled with streets that are barely passageways. I can reach out to touch both walls at once in the majority of these. Look up and you see balconies lush with flowers and, remarkably, weeds growing out of some of the cracks.

These run at every crazy angle and meet up with wider roads that you could actually drive a car on (if Venice allowed cars). Eventually a bunch come together in piazzas, small piazza's (campinos) and almost room sized squares (can't remember the name). If you are trying to get anywhere specific with a deadline, good luck. This morning I started walking and got utterly, wonderfully lost in about 8 minutes. I carried a map but many streets have no names painted on the walls (Venetian street signs) or named on the map. Really, it was only good to remind me of where the apartment was.

I wandered past beautiful old churches. Every 50 meters is another tiny bridge over a canal and a beautiful view. The houses really face the water, the real working roads.

Another Corner, Another View

Another Corner, Another View
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Many houses are painted with these beautiful ochres. The sun hits them right and they just glow.

Barb with the Cat Gods

Barb with the Cat Gods
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Posing with the ancestors of Emily and Trudy

September 7, 2006: Venice Cafe

September 7, 2006: Venice Cafe
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Venice is 29 Celsius in the shade. We have been sweating since the trip began and I've chosen a business casual travel wardrobe in a forlorn attempt to "fit in." Even so I feel pity for the local business men walking past me in suits.



Venice really is as lovely as all the postcards. Once the richest city in the wold, palaces lined the grand canal in a riot of colours and gilt. 500 years later, the colours are now pastel and the buildings in elegant decay. Shutters on every window are distressed wood with peeling paint. Plastered walls have lost some fascia, revealing the brick inside. It's like a very, very wealthy Havana.

We've been walking since 11:00 this morning, wandering the streets except for a brief and absolutely steaming ride on the the water buses. The boats are highly recommended in all the guides for a low cost grand canal tour. I imagine they weren't riding them in the stifling heat like we were. It was like a free tour and sauna, all in one.

One with Buddha

One with Buddha
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Wayne is standing near the third floor.

Large Pharoah

Large Pharoah
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

The description on the left gives sense of the size. This is part of what was a full body statue.

Our stop in London and the British Museum

Our stop in London and the British Museum
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

We landed in Gatwick, spent an hour and a half in line for customs then took the train to Farringdon station near our hotel. It's a nice part of the city and I was tempted to take a photo of every street that I saw. Lots of Victorian industrial buildings and the houses for the workers.

Our hotel was about a mile from the British Museum and that seemed like a good place go, if only for four sleep deprived people to stay awake. The Museum however, exceeded all of our expectations.



It seems that the British Museum intended from it's beginnings to be the holder of as many of the great treasures of the worlds civilizations as it could. Since it got its start in the days of the empire, there was much treasure to be had. I got to see clay tablets with some of the worlds oldest writing, the Rosetta Stone, scores of mummies and lots of Greek and Roman statues. What totally awed me though, was the size of many of their artifacts. So many pieces were just frickin' huge.

If you're planning a trip to London, this is absolutely worth a day. In our 3 hours, we only saw the Mesopotamian and Egyptian galleries and the Parthenon sculptures (yes, they took those too). I can't wait to go back, I want to see what they got from the rest of their empire.

Leg Room of the Damned

Leg Room of the Damned
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Air Transat id conducting a contest for the best travel photo. I'm thinking of sending ths one in...

Flying the crowded skies with Air Transat

Flying the crowded skies with Air Transat
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

Sep 4: Us at home ready to hop in the cab.



We were excited and raring to go.



8:30 am GMT: We are now at the 5 hour mark of flying with the least amount of leg room that you can imagine. Fortunately for us, Wayne and Bill are sitting ahead of us so we can joke with them about it. Because it's a row of three, Barb and I would have to make the nice lady on the aisle stand if we wanted out. I held out for about 4:30 before I gave in and begged to get out and free up all the clots in my legs.

I set my watch to London time before I even got on the plane so that I might convince myself to get some sleep. I think I got a couple hours and so did Barb. At Gatwick we'll need to track down the express train that goes straight to Farringdon Station, near our hotel. Once we check in, it's a shower and then out on the town. I am really looking forward to this.



From Barb: I was joking about steerage before we left but, it definitely was steerage. When a 5'2" person cannot move in a seat without hitting her knees you know it is tight. I was thinking of sending a request to Air Transat. Free anticoagulants for all who travel or maybe just a couple of aspirins to thin the blood a little. I should have taken the contortionist class after all.

I am looking forward to walking today after we have a real meal. My lovely carrot muffin has a whopping 380 calories and 17 grams of fat. I am planning on spending those calories on a good British curry.

Kitty photo

Kitty photo
Originally uploaded by davethetemp.

While we're in Europe, guarding the home will be tough work. Trudy is resting up for the tough days ahead.