Day One and two:
On this vacation, as with most of our others Pam and I were
joined by our two very good friends and traveling buddies, Margaret Harding
(widow of my best friend Sam) and Patricia Wilbur, we are the four musketeers.
We Flew Continental Air Lines from Denver, CO to Newark, New Jersey had about
an hour lay over between planes. Took another Continental flight to Rome,
Italy. We departed Newark early evening so it was an overnight flight to Rome
that way we could sleep most of the way. We had breakfast on the plane and
landed in Rome at about noon the next day. In all the flight from Denver to
Rome took about fifteen hours. From the Rome airport we went to our Hotel for
an afternoon of relaxation. That evening we met with the other people on our
tour and our tour director. The tour director outlined our tour and warned us
several times about being watchful of the Gypsies they are very adroit as pick
pockets and almost any type of petty theft. They like to prey on tourists. Had
an excellent dinner then to bed.
Day Three:
A full day of sight seeing in Rome. Our tour took us to the
Roman Forum and the Temple of Saturn that were built in 498 BC. Then to the
Circus Maximus that was built in 329 BC. it was used primarily for chariot
races and could hold 250,000 spectators. The great King Totila the Ostrogoth
was the last king to offer chariot races to the Romans in 549 AD. From there we
went to a sidewalk cafe on the Via Veneto for lunch. This was across from the
famous Trevi Fountain. Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the fountain
it will ensure your safe return to Rome some day. Of course, we donated our
coins. After lunch we went to the Pantheon. The original building was built in
27 BC by Emperor Agrippa and dedicated to all the Roman Gods. Emperor Hadrian
built the present building between 118 and 125 A.D. The Pantheon has been a
Christian Church since the seventh century AD. The kings of Italy and the
painter Raphael who died in 1520 are buried here. After a full day we had
another excellent dinner and then to bed.
Day Four:
Spent the entire morning in Saint Peters Basilica at the Vatican
City, which included the famous Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's beautiful
painting on the ceiling. This was awesome, one of the most beautiful sights I
have ever seen. Between 35 and 40 thousand tourists go through here every day.
After lunch we toured the Coliseum where gladiators used to fight to the death.
They were able to seal off the ground floor, fill it with water and have actual
sea battles between ships in here. Then on to Saint Peters Square and other
sights. The Gypsies robbed one of our party, stole his wallet with about eight
hundred dollars in it.
The picture is of Saint Peters Square and us in the Vatican gardens.
Day Five:
Departed Rome by motor coach for Casino. We toured the famous Abbey
of Monte Casino, home of the Benedictine Monks, which was destroyed be Allied
Bombers during World War II. This was the fourth time it was destroyed.
Fortunately the original plans were in the Vatican, each time it has been
restored to its original status. It is very beautiful. From Casino we drove to
Pompeii, The ancient Roman city destroyed and preserved by the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius over 2000 years ago. From here we went to Naples for the night.
Picture is from a hill overlooking the bay of Naples.
Day Five:
Departed Rome by motor coach for Casino. We toured the famous Abbey
of Monte Casino, home of the Benedictine Monks, which was destroyed be Allied
Bombers during World War II. This was the fourth time it was destroyed.
Fortunately the original plans were in the Vatican, each time it has been
restored to its original status. It is very beautiful. From Casino we drove to
Pompeii, The ancient Roman city destroyed and preserved by the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius over 2000 years ago. From here we went to Naples for the night.
The picture is from a hill overlooking the bay of Naples.
Day six:
Up early this morning and took a ferryboat to the Isle of Capri,
once the summer home of Roman emperors. A lot of beautiful ruins here. The
picture is of Pam and me in front of the Funicolare (an inclined clog rail car
that takes you up to the main city and sights of Capri). Did some shopping and
had lunch, afterwards we toured the Blue Grotto. Then back to Naples for more
sight seeing.
Day seven:
On the road early again for the drive to Sorrento. Had lunch, sight
seeing and shopping (I hate shopping, but Pam loves it). Then on to Assisi and
the home of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. This is where he founded
the Franciscan Order in the thirteenth century. There are many beautiful fresco
paintings in the Basilica. We spent the night in an old hotel built in the mid
eighteen hundreds. In the mid and late nineteen thirties many Hollywood,
English and Italian movie stars used to vacation here. We stayed in a suite
that was once used by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford (so they said by the
plaque on the door).
Day eight:
On the road again, this time to the smallest republic in the world,
San Marino. It is high in the mountains in the center of Italy. The rebels that
founded this republic built it here because of the rugged mountains, which made
it easy to defend. It only covers an area of about twenty-five square miles.
This incidentally was the only place where we had our passports stamped, and we
had to pay for that at the post office. The Euro Federation is taking over and
most European countries no longer require your passport to be stamped. From
here we drove to Venice. Here the bus boarded a very large ferryboat for the
ride across to Venice.
Day nine:
Beautiful city built on the small islands and recovered land by
driving lots of timbers into the sea bottom. The Gondola rides are something
else. Toured Saint Mark's Square, the Doges' palace and the Bridge of Sighs, it
was named this because criminals that were convicted and on the way to jail had
to cross over this bridge and legend has it that there was a lot of sighs from
the prisoners and their families. Toured several glass blowing factories, and
of course, Pam had to buy a set of very expensive hand blown glassware. Must
admit it is very pretty.
Then we took a ferryboat to the small island of Bureno in the
Venetian lagoon for an excellent seafood dinner.
Day ten:
A day of sight seeing on our own at our own pace in and around
Venice. Toured the palace and jail where Casanova was once a guest and a
prisoner. No regimented tours today and we really enjoyed it. Ate lunch and
dinner in some nice restaurants.
Day eleven:
Left Venice early for Verona. There is a Roman arena here built
before Christ that is still in use today. Of course, they no longer fight
gladiators or feed Christians to the lions here, it is used for concerts and
other civic events. Toured Juliet's house and the balcony made famous by
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Back on the bus for the drive to Lake Maggiore.
Day twelve:
Lake Maggiore is the largest natural lake in Italy and borders
Switzerland. It is the one Hemingway wrote about in his novel, A Farwell to
Arms. There are a lot of small islands, some with old castles and nice modern
homes on them. In the afternoon we went to Lugano Switzerland (no passports
stamped here either, in fact they didn't even ask for them) a beautiful city in
the Swiss Alps. We had dinner here and then back to Lake Maggiore and our hotel.
Pam and I in Switzerland.
Day thirteen:
We drove to Milan for a couple of hour's sight seeing then on to
Genoa, birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Then on to Pisa to see the leaning
tower. It is 180 feet high and 16 feet off the perpendicular. From here we
drove in to Florence, the capitol of Tuscany and the home of the renaissance.
Tour director warned us about Gypsies again, said there are lots of them in and
around Florence.
Day fourteen:
Florence, toured Signoria Square, Santa Croce Basilica and the
Piazzale Michelangelo where we saw the statue of David sculpted by Michelangelo
from marble; it is about twenty feet high. There is also a bronze replica of
the statue of David on a hill over looking Florence. Had lunch then more sight
seeing in the afternoon. The Mediche family ruled this region for many years,
they were bankers, landowners, and politicians and even had two of the family
made Popes.
This is my wife, Pam in front of a statue of Michelangelo's David on a hill
overlooking Florence.
Day fifteen:
This was a day of leisure on our own to shop, sight seeing or what
ever. In late afternoon our tour bus took us to the medieval village of San
Gimignano in the Chianti wine district for wine tasting and dinner.
Day sixteen:
Tour bus to Siena, once a powerful republic. This city is famous
for the Palio horse races, which take place in the main square every summer
since medieval times, then on to Rome for our last day in Italy.
Day seventeen:
Half day touring Rome, Lunch, and then to the airport to catch our
Continental flight back home. Again, no one ask for or checked our passports.
This was a very nice tour and one I would highly recommend .No language problem
for almost all Europeans speak English now, it is taught in almost every
school. Currencies exchange no problem, people are friendly, food is good and
the art works are worth the trip by themselves. September is an ideal time the
weather was great in the high seventies and low eighties almost every day.
During the tour several people made comments about Pam, Margaret,
Pat and I always being together. Not being one to pass up a chance for a little
bit of fun or excitement or raise a few eyebrows I told them we were all from
Salt Lake City, Utah. Of course, some of the people then ask if they all three
were my wives I did not reply to this question, just changed the subject and
smiled.
God bless all.
- John and Pam Abercrombie
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