How to Read My Italy Blog Posts

The latest thing I put on this blog will be at the top of the page, so if you want to read my Italy blog posts in chronological order, this is how to do it:

The easiest way is just to scroll way down this page, and read the posts in reverse order. I went first to Rome, then Florence, then Venice.

Or, if you decide to use the menu on the right side of this page, click on Kerry in Rome 1st Night. After you finish reading that, you will have to click your back button up on the menu bar to get back to the list of posts, because only one post will show at a time. Then go to Rome 2, Rome 3, and Rome 4. Next go to Florence 1 and Florence 2, and finally Venice 1 and 2.

Kerry in Venice Last Night! Nov. 22, 2005

TODAY I HAD THE
MOST WONDERFUL DAY!

I'm at my hotel in Venice and this has to be super fast because I only paid €5 for 30 minutes on the internet . . .

First, I asked the hotel to pack me a breakfast for tomorrow, because I have to leave early, and they agreed!

Second, instead of taking the vaporetto down the Grand Canal, I decided to brave the little narrow streets and try not to get lost. There are SO many bridges across the little canals, all of them with steps up and steps back down again, but there are only 3 big ones across the Grand Canal. I found a place to get a quick gondola ride across for 50 cents. I am so proud of myself, because I can't afford the usual €60 for a luxurious sit-down regular gondola ride. Almost no tourists know about this. You can tell the gondola in the picture is a public ferry because the people are standing up. If it's an expensive one, they sit on luxurious seats.

So after the crossing I kept winding my way to St. Mark's Square, and I found the tourist info place I'd looked for yesterday. I asked about a big poster, which all they had was one with lots of small images, but guess what! The photographer of the poster was right there and I got to meet him! I told him he had a good eye.

Then I went for a tour of the Doge's Palace. The Doge was kind of like an elected king that had unbelievable power over Venice's empire. Venice ruled the sea, in fact was called "The Bride of the Sea," and every year the Doge threw a jeweled ring into the sea in a big ceremony. Anyway, the palace tour was very interesting, with various lavish courtrooms, to say nothing of lots of paintings and ceilings done by Tintoretto. One room had a ceiling of pure gold. I also got to go over the Bridge of Sighs into the prison, which which most tourists never see.

Then I popped back into ST. Mark's Cathedral for a few minutes, because I knew they turn the lights on for 1 hour from 11:30 - 12:30. Wow! All the gold in the glass mosaics lights up and its not like any other church you ever saw. There are five golden domes in the ceiling. I also went upstairs to a little museum and you can get out on the roof and see the 1000-year old bronze horses and look out all over the square.

My plan for the afternoon was to go out to the island of Murano, which has specialized in glass blowing for 800 years. I got on a boat with 100 ten-year-olds on a field trip, and felt right at home. They took me to a free glass-blowing demo with them. I wandered all over Murano, and found several other glass factories, but all of them are so expensive I did not buy anything, and I love glass. Oh, well. I got to my next boat dock just in time to catch up with the kids again!

We took the boat together to Burano, an outlying island famous for hand-made lace. The men fish, and the women make lace. It's also famous for it's brightly-colored buildings. It also has a leaning tower, tall and skinny with a pointy top. I really enjoyed it because I went into several shops and learned about lace from the shop ladies. I bought the silk tablecloth in the picture that was hand embroidered by the lady and her mother. When I walked in, the mom was sitting in a chair in the middle of the shop, making lace while she waits for customers. I had quite a nice chat with the daughter, who is friendly and pretty and 36 years old. She said her grandmother made lace, and before that her great-grandmothers, so far back no one knows when it started.

As I left the island, the sun was setting behind their own leaning tower, and it was magical. I found a faster boat back to Venice, thank heavens! I hunted my way back through the little narrow streets, no wider than alleys really, got lost again, took another gondola crossing the Grand Canal, found a night market and the fish market near the Rialto Bridge, and finally hopped the vaporetto boat home.

Now I'm rushing off to the opera. I bought a ticket from a girl in period costume this morning. It's in quite a grand old 16th century building with great acoustics. The opera is in Italian, but I already am familiar with it. It's Don Pasquale. Before the performance, there will be an English-speaking tour of the art and architecture and history of the building.

Bye, my time is up and I'd better send this or the computer will turn off and it will be just too bad!

I HAVE HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME!

Tomorrow I will be back home in normal, wealthy, wonderful, mountainous Utah, but I have to keep coming back to Europe. There are so many amazing things to see here! You should all come with me!

Love,
Mom

Kerry in Venice 1st Night: Nov. 21, 2005

Today was a travel day from Florence to Venice. I have learned that on travel days, you want to take a fairly early train, or you won't have much time when you get to your destination because everything closes at 5:00 in winter.

This morning my train did not leave until 10:37, but I was ready at 8:30. What to do to use the extra time profitably? There were lots more things to do in Florence that I didn't get to do, but the only real heartburn I had was not making it up to Piazzale Michelangelo, the lovely lookout over the whole city that has the big replica of David. I checked all the bus routes, and decided to try it. It would be really tight, but I felt good about it, so I went.

I rushed 5 blocks to the correct bus stop dragging both suitcases, but the bus didn't come for 25 minutes, which is a really long time in Florence. I was watching on the map where we were going so that I would know where to get off, but when we got there, it was really obvious. There I am in the picture above, at Piazzale Michaelangelo. I discovered that the same bus I'd just gotten off would come again in 20 minutes, and it would go directly to the train station! I would not have to take the bus I planned, switch busses, wait again, and hope I got there on time! So I was even half an hour early! Some things are just plain great.

Last night after I sent my e-mail to you, I had a funny travel experience. When I signed off, I realized I might be in trouble getting home, because it was quarter to ten on Sunday night. So I walked rapidly across the old center of town, past the Palazzo Vecchio (pix at left, except it was dark) and by the Uffizzi, and it was pretty empty. I turned the corner and started walking up this little narrow medieval street to where I thought I could get a bus for my hotel. After a minute, I saw a bus turn the corner up ahead of me, but it was too far away, and I couldn't get it. I hurried up to the bus stop, about a block away, and here came another bus. It wasn't the right one, but at that hour I figured I'd better just take it as far as it kept going my direction, and then get off and walk.

The driver was going pretty fast down the very narrow street. It's about as wide as Wendy's driveway, and there was a row of cars parked on the left, so it was really tight for our speed. Soon I could see that we were catching up to the first bus, which had slowed down for an even narrower area caused by some construction. The bus in front of us was the bus number I needed! So with much gesturing and pointing, I asked the driver, "Can I get on that bus?" Somehow he understood. He started going really fast and flashing his lights again and again. The first bus stopped at the constricting point, and I did the dare and jumped out of the rear bus; the front bus opened his back doors, and I hoppped in! It worked! As I waved to the driver of the bus behind me I could hardly believe my good fortune! This bus took me within 3 blocks of my hotel, and I was in my own room less than 25 minutes after I left the internet point downtown. Some things are just great . . .

So the train ride from Florence to Venice was really very pretty in spots, especially when the sun came out. There were lots of Italian soldiers on the train, too, all with camouflage backpacks and green canvas suitcases. They said they were going to a place near Venice.

I have learned train WC's suck, but that's better than having to hunt for one after you stop, dragging all your luggage.

Internet gets more expensive as you go North. The countryside gets prettier, too, and it looks llike the people are a little richer. This internet tonight cost me €10.50 for 90 minutes. I am deep in the back alleys of Venice. The hotel was €5 for 30 minutes. In Rome I only paid €3 for 90 minutes.

After arriving in Venice, I drug my suitcases all over creation trying to find the hotel. It's really close to the train station, but on an island across the Grand Canal. I just took the long way around and around.

I have a tiny little room with 2 youth size single beds, a glass chandelier, and hand-painted door decorations. I have my own bathroom, but it's across the hall. Both doors lock automatically every time they shut, so I have to take my key with me every time, and you know how slick I am at opening locks!

I finally got on the vaporetto toward St. Mark's Square where the big church is. I took lots of photos as we went down the Grand Canal for all of you who don't get to come in June. You'll just have to see my pix! It was 3 in the afternoon, but the light was already that kind of gold you always see in pictures of Venice. I found that gondolas are always black with a gold pinstripe, because of a 500-year old law.

St. Mark's Cathedral looks like something out of The Arabian Nights. It's white and gold and has five pointy onion domes on top. It is so cool! The floor is covered in tiny marble mosaics, and it's uneven as the waves of the sea. Venice is sinking, but not very evenly! I went behind the altar to see the golden altarpiece. Amazing! It's all gold, about 4 feet by 8 feet long, and covered in painted enamel pictures and decorated with real rubies, emeralds, pearls, topaz, and more gold. The treasure came from Venetian ships ransacking Constantinople, another Christian city. Under the altar are supposedly the bones of St. Mark, as in Matthew, Mark , Luke, and John.

I need to finish this and get back to the hotel, which is probably an hour's walk and boat ride away. This internet place is definitely in the bowels of Venice. It does have a concrete street, but it's only ten feet wide, down 4 little alleys with turns to get here.

In Florence the have tiny little delivery trucks, some no taller than Sarah or Tiffany, and as long as the armspan of Michael and Andrew put together. They are about as wide as Jared's armspan. They have only 3 wheels, like a tricycle Amy might ride. There are all kinds, and I even saw one that was a dump truck!

You can't drive in Florence. Every single parking place is filled, except I saw 2 on Sunday. They have a system that takes pictures of every license plate that enters the no-drive zone in the old city, and if you don't have a permit, or have not registered your car with your hotel beforehand, you will get a hefty fine added to your rental car bill! So that's why the traffic is heavy, but not gridlocked.

I have seen lots of little olive orchards from the train. Wherever there's a bit of ground, they plant a few rows of olive trees. You can tell by the grey-green leaves.

I have seen lots of men kissing girls. For some reason it looks different that in the USA, because the man is actively doing the kissing, and initiating it. The girl seems to be the receiver.

Heidi, I took your advice and bought a phone card as soon as I got here, but I never could figure out how to make it work. I have tried several times. So Larry, sorry that I have not called you!

I about froze to death in Florence. In church I asked if they had any heat in this country, and they said yes, usually, but it was only just past November 15. I asked, "What does that have to do with it?" That's the date the government turns the heat on. What!!? "I suppose you could turn it on earlier, but it's very expensive." The government mandates that hotels turn on heat after November 15. So the church was still freezing on the 20th, because no one had been in those rooms since the 15th. Is Italy Socialist?

This has been a wonderful trip. I just wish I had one of you or some of you or even all of you to share it with! I'd have run your legs off, I'm sure!

I will write again tomorrow night, after my last day in Italy. Then Wednesday I come home: bus to airport, Venice to Paris, Paris to Atlanta, Atlanta to SLC. My plane comes in about 9:30 p.m. I think.

I love you all,

Mom

Kerry in Florence 2nd Night: Nov. 20, 2005

Hey, this keyboard has American punctuation as well as our letter layout! This should be much faster. The computer keyboard seems to be different in every country and even within countries.

Today was Sunday. I had ViaMichelin.com directions for the Church, so after breakfast (nice breakfast room downstairs) I got on a bus and found the address. That's it in the picture below. You can see the reflection of the street behind me in the glass door to the church, so you can get an idea of the neighborhood. Firenze 2nd Branch meets on the second floor of a 5-story building in a decent area NE of the oldest part of the city. It's only got a few classrooms, and the chapel seems about twice the size of our living room: three little chairs on the right side of the aisle, four on the left.

I just now had the strangest experience - some teenage boy came into the Internet Point where I am and came up to me and started begging. The girl working here came and kicked him out. I didn't even get a chance to speak to him. It felt wierd. There are beggars everywhere. I've given a few of them some coins. I'm sure most of them are legit here, which gets to me even more.

So in this branch are several Americans, mostly college-age girls over here on 3-4 month study abroad programs or being a nanny. One of them actually taught us an English-speaking Sunday School class. In Relief Society, there were only about six of us when it started, but there were 10 when it finished, plus the missionaries who came in to translate for me. They say they have all the programs of the Church here, so I asked how many Young Women. They said six.

I met this interesting good-looking American couple. He's an artist painting here, has long curly hair, and looks like Jesus. His wife is really pretty in a very natural sort of way. She looked a little weak, and we found out she's expecting and having morning sickness. She had to run out. Here's his website: www.diediker.com If you see a picture with 3 ladies in a red dress called "ketchup," that's his wife.

After church a lady heated up some rolls with chocolate chips (they put choc chips in yogurt and everything else here) and I had one. Good thing, too, because that was the last food I had until I got back from Pisa. I was getting pretty hungry!

I caught a bus to the train station and waited in line to buy a ticket to Pisa. They have lots of vending machines that sell the tix, but I haven't figured them out yet. Tonight I asked a tall Chinese girl to teach me how to do it so I don't have to stand in the line any more.

I got on the train (no reservations for local trains on Sunday) and sat by a window facing front. Soon I was surrounded by African men yakking away. At first I couldn't tell what language it was, because they still have the African inflections. They were speaking Italian but they sounded African to me!

The train (of course) stopped at every little town, taking 1 1/2 hours instead of the fast train, which I should have taken, which is only 1 hour. Oh well. It also went through the seediest part of every town, but every so often you'd get a glimpse of a castle on top of a hill or an old church. Welcome to second-world Italy!

In Pisa, I found that the bus number to the Leaning Tower that was listed in Rick Steves was no longer right. So I just started asking, and hopped on some other bus and was there in ten minutes. I immediately went to buy a ticket for the top. You must get a ticket with an assigned time. My time was 4:30, an hour away. I figured that was ideal, because it gave me time to look around the Cathedral and read up in my guidebook and be on the top of the tower just at sunset. And I was! It was SO COOL with the sun going down and watching the mountains in the distance and talking to people from all over. I went to the very top, on the 8th level. That's the picture at the top of this post.

On the 7th level there are 7 huge bells, all like our liberty bell. While I was standing by them, this announcement came on in lots of different languages, saying the bells were about to start ringing. It's a good thing they make the announcement, so no one falls off the tower in fright at the huge giant clanging sound! It was SO loud!

The church there is also quite unusual, in a style called "Pisan Romanesque." It was started around the year 1050, I think, and it's covered in white marble with grey horizontal marble stripes. It was built with the fabulous wealth plundered from Moslem sites in Corsica, I think. It almost looks Byzantine, but of course the city of Pisa was a great sea power rivaling Venice, and it traded with Byzantium.

I took a different bus back to the train station. Train was (of course) not on the track it said on the big board, so I had to scoot under the tracks to come up at the right track.

I got seated and in a minute a really lost-looking but well-dressed young punk guy came and sat across from me. He had on a ribbed sweater and an puffy orange vest and fancy jeans (very expensive over here) and an eyebrow piercing and a tongue stud. Of course I tried to talk to him. He spoke a little English and I spoke a little Italian. He's 24 and from Tuscany, but he wouldn't tell me what he does for work. He said it was too hard to tell in English. Maybe he's a drug dealer.

Anyway, soon we were surrounded by African men again. I ignored it for half an hour, and then I moved. I have found that native Italian people like you and me will all sit in one car, while immigrants will all sit in another, if there is room. My goodness. Europe used to think America was bad with race problems, and now they are having their own. I wish them well.

Back in Florence, I looked up another hotel the Air France wants to put my group into in June. It's very nice but right near the train station; good for bag hauling but bad for atmosphere and noise. I like the one I'm in tonight; I think I'll ask for it again.

I finally had some pizza for supper. It was very thin and had eggplant on it. It was about 14" across, but the crust was so thin I ate the whole thing. My time is gone; it's almost 10 PM. I must send before this computer turns off.

Love,

Mom

Kerry in Florence: Nov. 19, 2005

Well, guess what, I finally made it on the train from Rome to Florence! These guys were in the train station.

It was really interesting because after asking several people in the Rome train station, I determined I needed to be on the train to Milan. Nowhere did it say, "This is the train to Milan, but it makes lots of other stops along the way, like in Florence." So I was waiting out at the track, and I kept hearing Italian announcements that I surmised were saying that trains that were scheduled to leave from track #such & such had been changed to a different track. I'm not quick enough on the numbers yet, so I pretty much ignored them. Then, all of a sudden, everyone in my area turned around and left! I asked a nice lady who didn't speak much English, and all she said was "Follow me." So I did, and we took this cool underground tunnel that brought us up right in the middle of the correct track, and I got on and found my seat before most everyone else.

Remember when I said I got a seat reservation for this train? Well, it's sure a good thing I did, because there were more people than there were seats, because not all of them had seat reservations. There were several people in my compartment who got chased out by the person with the seat reservation. There was a very long discussion between this very well-dressed lady and two young women, when finally she realized that her seat was occupied by the only man in the compartment. He had to get up and go sit on the flip-down seat in the hall. Soon all the flip-down seats were taken, too. So as I'm riding along, I realize I can't understand the announcements, and I don't know when to get off. No one else in my compartment was really sure either, because there were two Florence stops, but we all guessed right, and I got off in the old part of Florence, and here I am!

Next thing I'm dragging 2 suitcases up and down the street, looking for the tourist info office so I can get a bus line map. I got several wrong directions, because not that many people actually know where it is. I finally found the right place down the street, and then I wanted to buy two all-day bus passes, so back I went to a place I had passed coming out of the station. I finally took a taxi to my hotel across town.

This hotel is a lot nicer than the one in Rome, and it's in a better neighborhood, too. I had to wait for my room to be made up, which was killing me, because today is Saturday, and I really needed to get going to see as many sights as possible before they close. I asked the desk clerk how to get to the Accademia, where the original of David is, and he gave me bus instructions to downtown, about a 10-minute walk from David. But since I have my handy-dandy bus map, I decided to take another bus which took me within half a block. That was one of my few smart moves today.

David was even more impressive than I remember him. Statues of David usually have him with his foot on Goliath's head, but this one is different. Michaelangelo chose the moent when David looks at Goliath, and thinks, "I can take this guy." Stones are in his right hand. The picture you see is a David copy which overlooks the city. He sort of became the symbol for the city soon after he was completed. You can't take pix of the original. I loved the "Prisoners" because it showed how Michelangelo worked, so differently from other sculptors. Others would make all these markings on the stone, but he always worked freehand. He felt like he was just freeing the sculpture that was already in the stone. The "Prisoners" are a group of unfinished sculptures, only partially freed from the stone.

Then I headed for the Duomo, the cathedral you see with the red tiled roof in all the pix of Florence. I investigated Ghiberti's doors on the Baptistry, called the "Doors of Paradise" by Michaelangelo, and then tried to find my way to the Uffizzi. I must look American, because sometimes I didn't even get the question out, and people gave me directions in English!

I'd heard it was impossible to get into the Uffizzi without reservations, but that's what they say about the Accademia, too, so I figured: hey, it's November, there's hardly any tourists, how bad can it be? WRONG! There was a line of at least 500 people stretching to the right of the entrance, all waiting just to get a reservation. There was a lighted sign saying all reservations were for tomorrow already. Then there was another line of 500 people stretching to the left, all of whom already had reservations and were waiting to get in! I maybe could have waited in line and got a reservation for tomorrow, but I wasn't going to do it. Period. I'd read that you can get reservations for the Uffizzi back at the Accademia, so I trucked back there. They can't. So I gave up on the Uffizzi, and will just have to wait to see it with my group in June. There is a phone # to get reservations, but it closed at 12:30 and won't open again until Monday. In summer you have to get reservations as much as 2 months in advance! I'll be sure to do it next time!

I walked all over Florence's center, and it is so COOL and so walkable! It was maybe 38 degrees and really breezy but sunny and I was loving it! I sure wish you were all here! I found several squares with street musicians and a merry-go-round and very fancy shops with super-sophisticated window displays and a street market section and lots of vendors who just spread out a blanket and sell leather purses and Gucci knock-offs! Heidi and Angela, I can hardly wait to show you! I loved Rome, because there was absolutely SO MUCH TO SEE, but this is even better!

I climbed up to the top of the Duomo dome, designed by Brunelleschi, and the first time anyone could ever figure out how to build such a large dome since Roman times. I have taught students about that for years, so I decided, "I don't care if it is 462 steps up and I'm tired and cold, I am going to the top! I so loved it.








You climb up steps between the inner and outer domes, and you can see how the brick walls are all on an angle. Engineers(Troy) would love it! You get to come out inside the dome and look down on the people going to mass on your way up, and again at a higher level on your way down. The ceiling frescoes are so close you can touch them! It's covered with angels and naked bodies and Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Christ above her. At the opposite side of the dome, Satan is depicted as a big red monster-person with wings and horns and eating people! Absolutely amazing! About half way down there is a landing that shows the tools they used to build it, most of them wood.

For supper I bought a slice of pizza with artichoke hearts and fresh tomato slices and some white cheese. The shop had 2 floors of seating above street level. I got the owner to translate for me, and pretty soon he even sang for me. I thought he was saying he would sing about his hotel, (initial "h" is silent) but them I realized he was singing about Othello! He had a decent bass voice. He said he missed his calling.

The Italians all get out and walk every evening. From about 5:00-7:00 the streets are filled. Tonight I walked with them during the passeggiata and I really enjoyed it, kind of window shopping and wandering and enjoying the social event with everyone, even if it's cold!

My time is going to run out that I paid for, so I'll send this now.

Love,

Mom

Kerry in Rome 4th Night: Nov. 18, 2005

Hello, my wonderful family and friends!

Today was my last day in Rome. I leave first thing in the morning. As I write this it's 8:30 at night. I finally got tired today, because last night I woke up several times, but I got up at 6 AM anyway. That's my first touch of jet lag. Weird, huh?

I wanted to get out early because I had lots to do. They don't serve breakfast until 7:30, so it was 8:15 before I finally got out.

First I wanted to walk over to Santa Maria Maggiore because it's a really big church and it's only a block away. That's the picture you see above. It's one of 4 churches in Rome (including St. Peter's) that are owned by the Vatican. That means it is actually part of Vatican City. So I went up to the big steps in what I thought was the front, only to find them fenced off and a homeless person still sleeping in a blanket on the bottom step. I had to walk all the way around to find the entrance on the other side. It is definitely very fancy inside, with many colors of inlaid marble. All I can say is, these churches are very expensive and beautiful in their Baroque style, but they don't carry as good a spirit as our chapels, let alone the temple.

Next stop: St. Peter in Chains Church to see Michaelangelo's sculpture of Moses. I also had difficulty finding that place. At the top of this long alley climbing a tall staircase I turned left (found out later I should have turned right, it would have been really easy) and couldn't find it, so just started following a line of people. It turned out they were students and I followed them right into some kind of scientific university! I knew the church had to be right on the other side of it, so I kept trying to get through, but no luck. Finally these 3 custodians gave me 'can't miss it' directions in Italian, and I just went the way they pointed. But that didn't work either, so I came back and they pointed upstairs this time! So I went up these stairs and followed a nice long corridor, and Voila! I came out right on the steps of the church!

That's exactly why I'm making this pre-trip, so I don't have to do this kind of malarkey with a whole string of people following me!

The church was nothing special, but I really liked the Moses. I sat on a marble step and looked at it for a long while. How can somebody start with a big block of rock, and turn it into something as amazing as that? You can even see his personality! You can tell he felt like he had to fight for everything and he was really a strong, sinewy spiritual giant, but he felt a little defensive and protective of his tablets.

I walked downhill toward the Colosseum and through this lovely green park with huge old ruins that used to be the emperor Nero's palace. People are just walking their dogs like it's normal to be surrounded by thousands of years of history. What kind of a town has a bus and Metro stop called "Colosseum?"

I've been looking all over for decent posters of Rome, and there really aren't any, but I finally found a few that will do at the newsstand at the Colosseum. Then I went hunting for a better bus route map and ended up going through the Forum for the WC. Who goes to the Roman Forum for the WC? Anyway, I wandered a few more places in there I hadn't been.

At that point I decided if I was ever going to try to get in touch with Casa Kolbe, the convent where we stayed on the 6th grade trips to Rome, I was just going to have to walk over there and bang on their door. So I did. The door was locked and no one answered. So I rang all the doorbells, one at a time. On the last one, a woman finally answered in Italian. I asked about a room, and could not understand the answer. So I waited to see if anyone was going to answer the door, but no, so I rang the bell again. This time a man came on, and I asked if he spoke English. Yes! Hallelujah! I asked if they had rooms for groups, and he siad not more. I asked how long since and he said maybe 20 years. So at least now I know that place is not a possibility!

After this I had to hike all the way back around the Circus Maximus and the Palatine Hill to the Collosseum Metro stop to head out to Ostia Antica. You have to change to the train system, and I had to wait for the train to leave, so it took about an hour to get out there. It's only about a quarter mile walk from the train station to Ostia, which is ruins of an ancient seaport city to Rome.

I so wished I had a guided tour of Ostia. After wandering all over the place, I figured out how I would give the tour to kids and tighten up the time spent.
To me the coolest thing is complete ampitheater and the mosaic tile floors that still have the pictures of fish and ships and things on the sidewalks to advertise their wares.

Ostia was practially deserted, so I was surprised to find they have a cafeteria. I had a piece of vegetarian quiche to give me some much-needed energy for the train ride back to town. I was getting sleepy!

I decided to stop at the white marble Pyrimide and see it and the city gate and supposedly get up on the wall. That was a bust, you can't get up on the city walls. I had to stop at the Colosseum one more time to try to get the man to give me a receipts for the posters I bought. I did the whole transaction in Italian. I was proud of myself!!

The last place I really needed to check out for my June trip was the Cappuccine (sp?) monks' crypt. When I pinned down the location, it turned out to be at the exact spot where I stopped chasing the red bus yesterday! So at least I knew how to get there.

This crypt is really weird, with all kinds of decorations made out of human skulls and shoulder blades and vertebrae and jawbones and stuff. All the pieces come from the monks of that order, dating back to the 1500's. I think kids would love to be grossed out by it!

For the evening, I wanted to do a certain walk described in Rick Steve's book. It was the time of the evening Passagiata (everybody stroll in the middle of the streets for an evening walk) but my feet are working about like clubs now, so I kept hopping on busses big and small to see the territory. I'm finally starting to get the hang of the busses. I took one to Piazza del Poppolo, and then another to Piazza Venezia to the Wedding Cake (actual name Monument to Victor Emmanuel.)

Did I ever tell you that the Wedding Cake is a huge white marble building in the center of Rome, built to honor the first Italian King after the country was finally unified in about 1860? It also contains guards at the flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a military museum. It's so big you can see it from St. Peter's. Anyway, there's lots of bus stops on that square.

I decided supper had to be another fabulous Spinach and Ricotta pizza like last night, so I hopped another bus in that direction. I found another way into Campo Fiori (a nearby square) and got my pizza, and guess what, started chasing a little electric bus I wanted to get onto, but he didn't see me, and so I lost him. Again!

So by this time I'm getting really tired, but it's only about 6:30, and I don't want to go home yet, so I got on the right bus, but going the other direction. I rode it all the way out to Vatican City, and then just stayed on and rode it all the way back to the other end, which is near my hotel.

One thing I really like about Rome is all the curbs are made of white marble. It's dirty and gum-stained, but it's marble instead of cement!

Mom, every day I've been wearing those black shoes we bought in St. George. They are saving my feet in this impossible situation.

Heidi, I just discovered you were not on my e-mail list, so I added you. You'll now be able to get my doings on your hotmail.

This really creepy guy is on the computer next to me looking at motorcycle parts and the writing is all in Chinese!

I'm going to bed. If I can find an internet place, tomorrow night I'll be writing from Florence!

Love,

Mom

Kerry in Rome 3rd Night: Nov. 17, 2005

Hi, Everybody!

What did I do today? St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums. But first off, right after breakfast I went over to the train station and bought 2 all-day passes, for today and tomorrow. Then I searched for the right place to get myself some seat reservations on specific trains for Florence and Venice. I decided to take the 2nd class slow train once and the Eurostar fast train once, to see if it was worth the difference. One reservation was 3 euros and the other was 12 euros.

Then I went outside and bought an all-day ticket for the red double-decker tourist bus. They give you an orange earpiece set, which you plug in and choose your language. They drive past all the major sights, and you can hop on and off all day long. It went past the Forum and the Coliseum and Circus Maximus and across the Tiber River to St. Peter's and the Vatican, which is where I got off.

I walked 10 minutes over to the Vatican Museums and paid €13 to get in. Larry, you would have been proud of me! I went zooming past all their wonderful tapestries and paintings, and just stopped and admired the really famous ones I wanted to see: Carravaggio, Taking Jesus Down from the Cross; Raphael, School of Athens; and the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. Fighting the crowds, that alone takes about 90 minutes. It's quite a walk. Then I took an exit that was for tour groups only, and it sent me down this long elegant stairway and dumped me out right in St. Peter's Square! That was really cool; I found it in Rick Steve's.

For the church of St. Peter's itself, I rented an audioguide. That's a bust; too much info and too dry. I couldn't listen to half of it. Luckily, it only cost me €5, but between that and my Rick Steve's guidebook and what I remembered, I really enjoyed the world's biggest church.

I decided to face the long line and climb to the top of the dome. The line went pretty fast, only about 20 minutes, then into the elevator up to the roof plaza. You can go in this passageway to look down into the inside of the center of the church, right over the altar, and look up into the dome. Then you climb up over 300 narrow curving steps between the skin and the inner shell of the dome to the very top. When you come out, you have to wait your turn to step out to the railing, but the view is so worth it!

I could look down on the Vatican gardens in one direction and St. Peter's Square in another. You can see the Wedding Cake a ways off, and far out in the distance, taller buildings. Rome has no modern skyline; all the roofs are red or grey and shorter than St. Peter's. Zoning is like Salt Lake's, where the (unwritten) rule is you must not be taller than the Church Office Building.

On top of St. Peter's roof I found a little refreshment shop. They only had a few things, the only real food they had was a sweet croissant, so I got that.

On coming down, I walked around in the church again, and found out this really cool thing. If I bring a group, I must use a wireless microphone and all my people use headsets. They loan me the mic, and each person pays €1 to rent the headset. Cool, huh? All of Rome seems to be into wireless headsets for tour groups. You don't very often hear the tour leader speaking loudly to his group. It's kind of nice.

I went part way down into the crypt, then decided it was going to see where Pope Paul was buried, and so came back out, walking against the hordes of people.

I hopped back on the red double decker bus (by this time it was 4:00) and came home to drop off my bag and bandage my blistered feet. Then off again, this time a few stops by Metro and then to catch a little eletricco bus which was supposed to take me right over by the Pantheon. NOT so fast! Evidently the eletricco route has been changed. So I asked a lady sitting by me which stop to get off for Pantheon, and that set half the bus to discussing which would be my best option. They discussed it for 10 minutes! I gathered that no matter which way I took, it would involve several blocks and lots of turns.

Finally this 60ish-looking man with a wheeze said he would take me. By this time it was totally dark (5:00) and I thought that Larry would definitely not like me going with him, but the 3 ladies were all agreed that it would be best. What a commotion I started! When I realized that the bus was nowhere near where I thought it would be, and I was totally lost, and I couldn't find any street signs, I got off and followed this guy about 6 blocks through little narrow streets, till he finally pointed and left me. I found the Pantheon easily. My theory was, he wheezed constantly like a heart patient, and I could probably take him if I had to!

The Pantheon was sehr cool, all lit up at night and with a lovely fountain in front of it. I wish this picture wasn't so dark. I sat down inside with my guidebook for awhile, figuring out where to go next. As I was looking up at the hole in the roof, beautiful white birds kept flying over, lit by the light from inside. They were probably pigeons, but I like to think they were doves.

I decided to try to find my way to Area Sacre, which is near the Benetton shop. It is a block of ruins which is about 20 feet below today's street level. It too, is lovely with night lighting. There are still cats all over Rome, climbing among the ruins!

Rick Steve's Night Walk Across Rome sounded interesting, and by this time I had my 2nd wind. I walked from Campo Fiori (wild idea-man Bruno was burned at the stake here) to Piazza Navona, with Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain. I loved this fountain. This particular Piazza is a long rectangle, because it used to be a Roman chariot racetrack. In Roman times the level of the city was about 20 feet lower, so in the 1800's the citizens used to flood the old raceway in summer for a swimming pool! Here I also had the world's best Chocolate Tartuffo with whipped cream. To die for!

From there I found my way through the winding medieval pedestrian streets back to the Trevi Fountain. I got fairly lost, but I met a couple who were also following Rick Steve's night walk, and we all got oriented.

Troy, I found an even better pizza place over by Campo Fiori. I'll have to take Angela there in June!

On the way back to the city bus stop, the red double decker bus passed me, and I still had my all-day pass, so I decided to run to catch it. I chased that dang thing 3 blocks uphill, once even banging on the door, but the driver didn't see me and left me standing in the middle of the busy street with traffic on all sides. It finally got away. It was dark and I was tired. I gave up and took the Metro home.

Tomorrow will be my last full day in Rome, and I still have so much I want to see. I'm going to have to start getting up earlier!

That's enough for now. I hope I can find an easy internet point in Florence and in Venice. This one is right across from my hotel. I'm using these e-mails as my trip journal, because I forgot to bring a book to write in.

I hope you are all doing well,

Love,

Kerry

Kerry in Rome 2nd Night: Nov. 16, 2005

Hi my family and friends!

I about walked my feet off to the ankles today, but what I saw was worth it!

After breakfast in the nice breakfast room on the 2nd ( American 3rd) floor, I went 2 blocks over to the main train station to check it out. After wandering around for awhile, I bought an all-day bus & metro ticket for 4 euros.

This time I took the Metro to the Coliseum instead of walking. I bought a guided tour. It is so huge, seating 50,000. It was very cool to be there again. I wrote down lots that the tour guide said, so I can give the tour myself.

The Coliseum ticket also covers the Palatine Hill, so I went there next. It overlooks the Roman Forum. I wandered all over, enjoying few people and ruined Roman palaces and huge trees and a view overlooking the forum.

The Forum is free, and I walked all over it, reading Rick Steves' book and fending off both men and women wanting to be my guide. I must look like a foreigner with money. (As a matter of fact, most Italians have dark hair like Troy and Angela, and I have not seen one person with my color hair.) I was particularly impressed with the Arch of Constantine (commemorating when he beat Maxentius and became emperor, thus making the outcast Jewish sect of Christianity the state religion), the house of the Vestal Virgins, and the Arch of Titus.

The Arch of Titus commemorates his victory over Judah in 70 A.D. We know this as the destruction of Jerusalem.

I was trying to find the back way up onto the Wedding Cake, but it sure took me awhile. This is why I'm doing this trip now, so that when I have people following me, I can walk directly to the places I want to go. I went the long way around, knowing I'd have to end up on Michaelangelo's plaza, and I did. I finally found the back way up, and several other really cool things I wasn't even looking for, like the prison tank that held Peter and Paul, and the bronze statue of the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus. I learned how to use a Roman drinking fountain. You partially block the faucet with your finger, and then water squirts up through the little hole for you to drink. I plan to give someone a surprise on my next visit!

I found a lovely cafe on top, overlooking the city, and I was so hungry by 4:00 I didn't look too carefully at the sandwich I chose. What I took to be lots of tomato was only partially tomato. It tasted fishy. Then I really looked at it, and it was red, raw tuna! I was so starved I ate it anyway, hoping I wouldn't get sick!

Then I went backwards quickly through this pretty dull military museum inside the Wedding Cake, working from the top down. I came down to their memorial for the Unknown Soldier. I climbed up on a marble seat-looking area to get a better picture, and the police blew the whistle at me. I was sorry. I had read a sign that said no eating, sitting, lying down, being loud or dirty because of the special feeling they have for the area. I did not mean to be disrespectful. I apologized to the Carabinieri.

I went looking for the Benetton shop where Shelley and I had found such great sales. I found it, but alas, no sales. Everything seemed very high priced to me. I also found a big high-priced music/bookstore, where I finally found 2 posters for 12.50 euros each. I have not found any others, so I bought them. Aaack!

Since my ankles were dissolving, I decided to take the bus back toward the hotel, but had a hard time figuring out which bus to take. People keep answering me in English and offering help. I finally got on one, which was a real squeeze, as it was rush hour and packed and my coat and posters were caught in the door! It seemed like we rode forever, but we finally ended up at the main train station.

On the way back to the hotel I bought some great pizza with a white sauce and blue cheese. I found out that the reason the price looks so cheap, is that's the basic cost per ounce or something like that. (This I learned the hard way.) He asks you how much you want, and if he can, he'll sell you a big piece. Then he weighs it, and you get to pay like 4 times the price you thought because you got so much!

I had to go home and change my shoes because my feet were so tired. Then out again!

I decided to go to some good evening places. First by Metro to the Spanish Steps. What a waste! No flowers in winter, and not good lighting. Then to the Trevi Fountain. Now that was fabulous! You can hear the rush of the water before you find the fountain. No streets lead directly to it, so you can bet I had to wander to find it. Such beautiful white sculpture, clean water, beautifully lit. Many people, lovers with roses, someone playing the violin for money. I sat there a long time. Finally I went to find the famous pizza place. I think I did find it (same place as I remember) but it has been remodeled and doesn't look the same. Anyway, I had a great gelato (called "After Eight" - mint chocolate chip) and went back to the fountain to sit and enjoy some more of the lovely evening and eat gelato.

I decided to take the bus home, because I want to stay above ground to see as much as possible. Now I'm at the internet point across from my little hotel.

The weather threatened rain all day, but it never did it. That means the humidity is really high. I do not understand how these Romans dress. The temperature is just about perfect for walking - about 60-65 degrees. Today is Nov. 16 and they act like it's winter! Everyone is wearing long coats and leather jackets and turtleneck sweaters. Everyone who is not a laborer wears a suit and tie. On the bus I was so hot I literally had sweat running down my forehead, but they don't even take their coats off! Later I found out that today is the day that legally the heat must be turned on. It's amazing to me that the government regulates even the heat!

Well, I have to do laundry tonight, I should quit.

Love,

Kerry

Kerry in Rome First Night: Nov. 15, 2005

Hi, Everybody!

I made it to my hotel in Rome!

I had a sleepy 2 hour flight from Paris, but it was really bumpy coming in.

I had prearranged for a shuttle trip from the airport to my hotel. Boy, was that a good thing to do! At the airport, all these seedy-looking men in dark suits kept asking if I wanted a taxi. I was SO glad I didn't have to take one of them! I was the only one in the minivan, so I asked the driver to keep me aware of where I was on the map. It took an hour to get to the hotel. It was dark, heavy traffic and he drives fast, more aggressively than Larry! But he pointed out the sights as we went past, and St. Peter's and the Coliseum and the Wedding Cake were all lit up. It was lovely because you can't see the graffiti very well in the dark, and I enjoyed it.

Not saying that the hotel isn't very fancy, but it's made of 4 old pensions on top of each other, one per floor, in one building. It's only 2 short blocks from the train station, so the location is perfect, but . . . The man at the desk told me, when I go out the door, always turn right. I asked if it was unsafe to turn left, because I had seen lots of immigrants. He said no, it's not unsafe, but everything to buy is from China or India or Africa, and all the nicer things are to the right! So it's right on the edge of being seedy! I won't stay here again!

I took the most FABULOUS walk tonight! I walked about 6 blocks down to where I could look over into the old Roman Forum, and then I walked down and all the way around the Coliseum. It's all lit up at night and there was a full moon and it was gorgeous! I wished you were all here with me.

Shelley, on the way in, we passed the Benetton shop where you and I went. I think I can find it again.

Larry, I sure wished you were here tonight with me. It was SO romantic!

Troy, you would so have loved just wandering with me tonight! Remember wandering in Florence?

Wendy, on the airplane they announced everything in the native language of that country, then in English, and last of all in German! I thought that was odd.

Kim, you will appreciate how I am struggling right now trying to find all the right punctuation marks on this computer keyboard. At least the letters are the same!

Aaron, there are motorscooters EVERYWHERE. Herds of them! I think that's because all the parking places are already taken by cars no bigger than yours, so a Vespa is the way to go.

Lys, just for you, tomorrow I'm going to go stand in front of the Pieta' in St. Peter's Cathedral and turn around and look in all directions and call out "Alyssa, where are you?" Remember when you got lost there when you were 6 years old?

Heidi, you will be happy to know that there are internet spots EVERYWHERE! I passed at least 6 of them tonight.

Dad and Mom, keep in there pitching! We need you!

Well, it's 10:30 p.m. and I'm getting too tired, but I think I've beaten jet lag by staying up.

I'll write more later,

Kerry

Girls at the Louvre: August 2005

58 Girls at the Louvre
Originally uploaded by motherof7.

These are the girls from my Moms & Daughters Heart of Europe Tour. Beautiful, aren't they? So was the Louvre!

Bacharach, Our Castles: July 2005

31 Bacharach Our Castle Burg Stahleck
Originally uploaded by motherof7.

In this picture you can actually see where both my tours for this summer stayed. We were right beside the Rhine river, which is to my back. (I'm taking this picture from the boat cruise.)
The Moms and Daughters group stayed in Burg Stahleck, the castle on the hill. The adult group stayed in the Kranenturm, which is the tower in front. Hundreds of years ago, that tower was used to unload wine caskets from ships on the Rhine!

We Slept in a Castle! July 31 & Aug. 1, 2005

30 Sleep in a Castle
Originally uploaded by motherof7.

We slept in this castle for 2 nights. Our room was actually up in the round rock tower just on the left of this picture. This is Burg Stahleck, a medieval fortress.

Phantom Candles Paris Opera House: Aug. 4, 2005

55 Phantom Candles Paris Opera House
Originally uploaded by motherof7.

The girl's tour loved the Paris Opera House! They sang on the famous staircase and danced in the ballroom. Remember the candles that rise up out of the floor in the show? There are candelabra everywhere in the real Paris Opera House. This was the place to see and be seen by Paris Society of the 1870's.

Our Group in Front of Versailles Hotel: July 10, 2005

1 Our group in front of Versailles hotel
Originally uploaded by motherof7.

This is our group from Career Services who I took to Europe for 20 days in July 2005. They're wonderful people! Our hotel, Le Cheval Rouge, was originally a stable for Louis XIV.