Villa La Torre Greve

... for our walk through the walled village. There is a 14th century fort with make up part of the walls. Today it is used as a prison - your not supposed to take photos of it, but I snapped a couple off before I knew... luckily I was not spotted by the local polizi. The town was cute for sure but I'm not sure it deservered all the accolades given to it by other travellers we had met in Lucca. Having said that we did take more photos than usual.

... and geleta, i.e. ice cream. We are back at the room and packed for our final place to see tomorrow as we head by train to Cinque Terre. We are staying on Manarola and think it will be an easy train ride and a wonderful view. We will attach pics tonight and then sometime tomorrow attach some video to show you the parade in the square with people on stilts.<br>Hugs and Kisses<br>Mick and Lisa<br>XXX<br>OOO

Today was a wonderful day even though I know I called you Petey and I was crying again, but really it was a very relaxing easy day. We found the laundry mat for tomorrow and went to a place called St. Catherine which is where the first woman to be named a saint was in 1317. We were not suppose to take pics, but the guy in the gift shop was sleeping so I took video which you will see. When we went in the gift shop I had a camera around my neck and started ...

I hope this works, it has been hard to attach some of the video because it times out. FYI to all my not so computer literate friends and family. When you first open the video, it will start and then stop in the middle to keep reloading and then start and stop again. This can get frustrating but is necessary until it is completely ...

... difference, so much so that Kate wondered why some of the lesser-known artists' work was even hung. (Kate: An insult I know and I'm sorry! I just couldn't help but wonder!) Similar to Siena, there was a ton of art dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who seems to be highly revered in Italian culture. The Uffizi also holds a tremendous number of sculptures and the Florentine artists paid tremendous homage to their Greek and Roman ...

... eat up. I headed out to search out some of that culture and history, but it turns out you really don't have to search in Florence because everywhere you turn it is all around you. I first headed to get another cappucino at my FAVORITE cafe I went to every morning when I was taking the Language class a few years ago, but unfortunately it was closed. I rushed to get there before noon because it is uncooth and weird to drink cappucino ...

... about this bar called the Red Garter in a Contiki brochure and now I see why as everyone in the place was on Contiki tours. After a few rather large ales we headed back to the hotel and Jamie and myself had a few more at the hotel bar where I got into a rather energetic conversation with our tour manager and Italian native Franco about Italy's history (both modern and ancient) abit after midnight I decided to head back to the room and get some rest for the following ...

... the house, and since I was the only one who didn't really eat a huge lunch (or anything much at all that day), everyone was encouraging me to be the garbage disposal for all this sumptuous food. As it turns out, Katie's dad is a very close colleague of my father's, a fact that neither of us or them knew until recently. We are from the same hometown, and we all probably should have put 1 and 1 together much earlier, but never did. What fun coincidences on ...

... walked down to the beach. It was really weird standing on a beach in our full-on winter gear (and actually I could have used more gear since I was still really cold!) We didn't stay long.. just long enough to get a few pictures. Then we came back and had coffee/tea and dessert (rice pudding again, crackers, cheeses, fruit, and chocolates!) After dessert we played the same gift game with the dice, except this one was played a bit differently. Instead of opening ...

... isn't there and neither are their flatmates. I made myself at home by using the washing machine. I am house trained and will not be marking my territory by peeing in the corners. My usual breakfast haunt is a small cafe at Via della Scala and Via Benedetta. They know me as the Australiano who has arrived every morning for the past week or two or so, for Caffe Macchiato, Cornetti and Focaccia. Late in the morning two days before Christmas, and it is rocking - actually crooning - to ...