Italy

Hey everyone! Short typing today. I went to Pisa and now I'm tired. There is a guy singing outside my window. It is funny. Pics below! Enjoy The view from the car. Just in case you were wondering about my cheese from Parma tale, it exists. Random Castle This is Pisa We rode on this horse in Pisa. It was a nice tour. The tourguide explained all of the places we saw but it was in Italian. This is a university This is Michela (the mom) and me. The kids were on the other side. The leaning tower of Pisa This is the baptistry outside of the church in Pisa Inside of the baptistry from the balcony This is the famous Duomo del Pisa. The tower is behind it. This is the view from first entering the church. These paintings lined the walls. This church was beautiful for its paintings. The church and the tower. This picture was taken from the 2nd floor of the baptistry. I just thought it was funny because there were these signs everywhere that said "Do not walk on the grass" in ab...

Hi guys, Yesterday we went out on the boat again. We swam to a little island that was all rocks. I don’t like to step on the rocks because they are covered in slimy algae and what I’m starting to think is some kind of soft coral. I am getting over it slowly but I am determined to get over this aversion to not stepping on slimy things. At home I hate the little periwinkle clams that lay on the top of the sand at low tide. The guards will tell you that I don’t get in the water when they are out. The idea of having to step on those clams with their little tentacle/feelers out just makes me shiver. So, I am determined to get over this before I get home. I have plenty of time to work on it while I’m here. Right now the kids are making a fort on the landing with the couch pillows. The day before yesterday we went to the beach again. The kid’s dad bought these white rimmed sunglasses that have been a big hit. Everyone had to try them on and have their picture taken. Last night we went to some...

Ok, today’s tidbit of information is that one may drive a scooter on the road at 14 years old. This is the story of how I found out. A 14 year old almost hit us today. It was a short story. So, when he did I asked how old you have to be to drive I was surprised. You must be 14 for a scooter, 16 for a motorcycle, and 18 for a car or truck. The scooters/ motorcycles are set at certain ages by size and I think speed. I guess I should mention that we were on a one way street, the wrong way. We were dropping someone off and the streets are so narrow that it is hard to get a big car around. So, sometimes we go the wrong way to turn around. The cars here are so small. There are a lot of smart cars. They are so tiny. I got a sunburn today but it was worth it. If you can ever sleep on a boat it is the best sleep ever! When we snorkeled I saw a bunch of sea urchins. It was really cool. Also, a red starfish. The water here is so clear you can see forever. The kids just gave me a k...

Hey everyone, Ok, I have a lot to tell today. First, I just had my first coke in 2 weeks so I think I am a little wired. Also, my new favorite food are crepes with nutella (chocolate) and bananas. If you get a chance definitely try one. Finally, I haven’t been online in a while because I didn’t have the internet key. We went out on the boat the other day and snorkeled some of the reefs that are around the island. The view was great. It was all mountains and blue waters. When we went into port we walked upon a wedding that was just beginning. The bride walks with her father down to the church so we caught them on the way. It was beautiful. We had dinner at this port at a family owned restaurant. It was seafood and it was great. You all should be proud of me because I have vowed to try anything while I’m here. When my plate arrived with visible tentacles I was not sure if I could stick to that plan, but it was great. I have eaten a lot of fish with the eyes still attached since...

Hey everyone Wow! I did not realize it was July 4th. Yay USA! Today we walked from the house to the beach at the bottom of the hillside. There is this stone path that winds from the top (the town) all the way to the bottom. We are at the top. It was a long hike back. When we went down the kids pointed out the church that their parents got married in. On our way back it happened to be open and a sign said a whole bunch of stuff in Italian and Michelangelo. I went to investigate and there was a painting inside by Michelangelo. There is a picture at the bottom. It is so amazing that you can just walk around and find frescos by these artists everywhere. When we were swimming I saw a sea anemone that was red. When I pointed it out to the kids they said it is called a pomodora del mare (tomato of the sea). We went swimming yesterday and there was water aerobics in the ocean. It brought me back to the good old days at the pool. They even played songs from Grease. Oh, good news!...