Finding Florence

Hello! I'm sorry I've taken so long to publish these last photos, but the jet lag has been unpleasant. And I've started up at sc...

I liked the look of this Egyptian-looking cat at the Vatican Museum.

Yes, even Italy has delayed trains! Only 40 minutes here so it wasn't too bad. By the way, if anyone ever wants to hear a... funny... st...

Ok, this is just silly, but what a shot! I got up close and personal with the fish in a fountain at the Boboli Gardens in Florence.

Back in Florence you learned of my love of statues... here is another!

A ceiling in one of the 5 churches in Ravenna that we visited. Its one thing to paint a whole ceiling, but I can't imaging the time and ...

Our view from the front steps of the train station in Venice. We took a water taxi from our hotel to the station. A very convenient way to t...

This beautiful basilica in the heart of Venice was built around 1063. The original was built in 832! Venice was influenced culturally by Byz...

While we never took a gondola ride, we did enjoy seeing them maneuver around each other all day long. This man was lucky to have very little...

Don't worry! There is a story here! While at the Colosseum they had a big poster with a backdrop like these cobblestones and the shadow ...

Well, housekeeping missed our room today so I had to send Brian out on a special mission!

We made it home late last night. Safe and sound. It feels so good to be back in the states! Back in Seattle! Back in our own apartment! I do...

Well, Brian and I head for home tomorrow morning. We have many more photos to post, but will do that from Seattle. Time to eat dinner, pack ...

The Romans sure knew how to build a masterpiece. This was one of my favorite parts of our trip- to be walking around in this huge building t...

My latest obsession (since I saw very few statues today) are pillars. I found plenty in the Forum- crumbling ruins of the old Roman marketpl...

This photo doesn't do the fountain justice, but it was just lovely. We then walked down an alleyway and had a nice quiet dinner in a sma...

I really enjoy all the little cars over here - Molly thinks I have a fetish. I think this may be the smallest sports car I've ever seen....

This sign was a little startling as we exited the Vatican down the spiral staircase. Was it a warning not to fall? Or was it a warning to si...

The Sistine Chapel... What to say? Unfortunately cameras were not allowed. What an amazing piece of art! From what I remember, it took Miche...

It was important to remember to look up as well as down- there was so much to take in from all directions.

Thankfully neither of us were wearing bathing suits to our Vatican visit.

Ceiling and wall art: in the hall of maps. Another statue! One of the many gorgeous ceilings in the Vatican Museum.

Molly hasn't yet perfected the Zen art of photographing one's self without 3rd party intervention of nice passer-bys. Brian has much...

This was a part of the works that Raphael did in the Pope's apartments between 1508 and 1524.

This is what happens to me when I don't get enough beauty sleep!

At last! Undeniable proof that Keens were popular footwear, even in ancient Rome!

The Vatican Museum was truly magnificent. The floors were works of art in themselves: when we weren't walking on marble floors, they wer...

Brian got us back on track! More fun and photos to follow!

We were in quite a line here, but it moved fairly quickly. In Florence the museums are smaller so they only let in a certain number of peopl...

Hello again! We were up early and off to the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica. Wow. The pictures that we do post will in no way d...

We have arrived in Rome! Unfortunately, we haven't been able to upload any photos in the last few days. Not sure what is going on. But c...

This is the view of Florence that greeted us as we entered the Boboli Gardens- at the Pitti Palace. The Duomo is prominantly displayed. And ...

(At some point we'll get a photo uploaded!) The door to our hotel room at the Aprilé appears to be Chewbacca reincarnated! When it opens...

I learned this trip that Molly *loves* statues - photographing them, thinking of them, touching them. Now, even BEING one!

As you can see... this was an oasis... It was very hard for me to walk out of here!

We have perfected the art of taking a picture of ourselves... Plus, we didn't want anyone to forget what we look like! Ok, I admit it! I...

This is the view that greeted us at the top of the gardens- the lush countryside. There were several artists up here painting the landscape....

I was a bit out of control in the gardens as a new obsession crept in: I love these old Roman statues! I may have taken a few too many this ...

Let this be a lesson to all of you who don't wear sun screen! Look how the Roman sun can ravage the tender skin!

In the Boboli gardens on a beautiful day in Florence. There weren't really any flowers- but plenty of trees, shrubs and statues!