So, here are a few photos from our trip to Italy. We left the USA with no plans or reservations except our plane tickets in and out of Milan, and a few phone numbers of friends Tim made on his mission. We bought a guide book in the Newark airport, just for some reference, and went on our way. It turned out to be a wonderful trip, and was not as stressful as I thought it might be without any plans at all. We stayed in some really great hotels, and also in some that were not so great. Our hotel in Milan on our last night was so awful I hate to even think about it, but sometimes that is what you get. Tim's Italian came back to him really fast, but I am so out of practice, I never felt really confident with my speaking skills the entire trip.
This is the view from our hotel room in Brusimpiano, a tiny town right across the border from Switzerland (in fact, the mountains on the other side of the lake - Lake Lugano - are Switzerland). We ended up here, because one of Tim's friends from his mission lives there and is actually the director of this four star hotel. When we called him from the airport he was so excited that we were in Italy he drove down to pick us up, and then gave us two nights in the best room in the hotel for free. It sure pays to have friends in high places.
This is a town - Manarola - halfway through our walk through the Cinque Terre (the Five Earths) on the Italian Riveria. The towns are really beautiful, the walk vigorous and sometimes difficult, and the American tourists abundant (thanks mostly in part to Rick Steves and his prolific tour books touting the (previously) lesser known areas of the country). We were here eight years ago and it was wonderful. We have decided after this trip not to return again (too many Americans - not enough Italians).
The two pictures above are of the sunset in Riomaggiore, the southernmost town of the Cinque Terre. We rented a small apartment for a few nights and were able to find a small private wall from which to view the sunset (not an easy task given the hoards of tourists as mentioned above).
Tim jumped whole heartedly into Italian fashion as soon as we arrived by purchasing a pair of uber-stylish sunglasses (he had to ask a passing, and fashionable, Italian man at the open air market if they were "da uomo o donna" (women's or men's)). After being assured that they were men's glasses, he wore them with a flourish the rest of the trip. This is him on top of the Duomo in the heart of Milan - an absoutely spectacular gothic cathedral. We stayed until the wee hours of the night (okay, really only until about 11:00 pm) to watch a real life fashion show in the middle of the main square in Milan. I felt pretty cool.
Here I am in front of the main duomo and baptistry in Parma. Parma is not a popular American tourist destination, but I think it might have been my favorite stop on our trip. Tim had served a few months there as a missionary- we tried to find the church on Sunday with no luck - neither the church nor the missionaries were listed in the phone book, and the church had moved since Tim was there. We finally attended Catholic Mass in one of the many cathedrals, and then went for a picnic in the main park where we ran into the missionaries riding their bikes on their way home from church - bummer! Anyway, I loved the laid back atmosphere and the fact that most of the tourists were Italians from other parts of the country.
This is the view from our hotel room in Brusimpiano, a tiny town right across the border from Switzerland (in fact, the mountains on the other side of the lake - Lake Lugano - are Switzerland). We ended up here, because one of Tim's friends from his mission lives there and is actually the director of this four star hotel. When we called him from the airport he was so excited that we were in Italy he drove down to pick us up, and then gave us two nights in the best room in the hotel for free. It sure pays to have friends in high places.
This is a town - Manarola - halfway through our walk through the Cinque Terre (the Five Earths) on the Italian Riveria. The towns are really beautiful, the walk vigorous and sometimes difficult, and the American tourists abundant (thanks mostly in part to Rick Steves and his prolific tour books touting the (previously) lesser known areas of the country). We were here eight years ago and it was wonderful. We have decided after this trip not to return again (too many Americans - not enough Italians).
The two pictures above are of the sunset in Riomaggiore, the southernmost town of the Cinque Terre. We rented a small apartment for a few nights and were able to find a small private wall from which to view the sunset (not an easy task given the hoards of tourists as mentioned above).
Tim jumped whole heartedly into Italian fashion as soon as we arrived by purchasing a pair of uber-stylish sunglasses (he had to ask a passing, and fashionable, Italian man at the open air market if they were "da uomo o donna" (women's or men's)). After being assured that they were men's glasses, he wore them with a flourish the rest of the trip. This is him on top of the Duomo in the heart of Milan - an absoutely spectacular gothic cathedral. We stayed until the wee hours of the night (okay, really only until about 11:00 pm) to watch a real life fashion show in the middle of the main square in Milan. I felt pretty cool.
Here I am in front of the main duomo and baptistry in Parma. Parma is not a popular American tourist destination, but I think it might have been my favorite stop on our trip. Tim had served a few months there as a missionary- we tried to find the church on Sunday with no luck - neither the church nor the missionaries were listed in the phone book, and the church had moved since Tim was there. We finally attended Catholic Mass in one of the many cathedrals, and then went for a picnic in the main park where we ran into the missionaries riding their bikes on their way home from church - bummer! Anyway, I loved the laid back atmosphere and the fact that most of the tourists were Italians from other parts of the country.
4 comments:
wow! beautiful pictures. I love the sunset!!! thanks for posting those pics I hope to go to Italy someday. The place where my Grandpa's family is from is right on the swiss border so I really enjoyed that first one. Sounds like you guys had a great trip. Bummer on missing church. though I have heard that is isnt always good to go back to your old mission wards because people have left and stopped coming and it makes you sad.
That is so fun!!! I loved the pics. I wish so bad I could go back to my mission. And without kids. . .that is so relaxing. IT sounds like you had such a great time. I love that you went with tickets only. I wish I had the courage to do that. Someday I will.
That looks beautiful- I especially love the cities on the cliff- I remember a conversation with you where you described them for me, and so it is almost magical to see them!
I just wanted to tell you that I am laughing at your "p.s.: comment to Rachel about the book club. So snotty of those girls. And yes, you are the person I was referring to of higher caliber! :)
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