Pisa and Florence - Updated

It has been a whirlwind since we got here...flying over, timezone change, being tired, start the cruise, then seeing the sights. It has been tiring. It has taken a few days for all of us to get acclimated, catch up on sleep, and just relax. Today, is our first sea day after three ports, and we are sleeping in and now I am trying to catch up on the blog.

On Sunday, we docked in Livorno. Our plan was to take a ship tour and go to Cinque Terra. Unfortunately, the weather has been pretty bad in the area and the mudslides and high waters prevented us from going. So...change of plans, we hired a taxi for the day and the six of us went to Pisa and Florence.

We started early in the morning and went to Pisa first. November is off season and it was a Sunday, so the area was very quiet. We enjoyed the small square without tons of tourists. We could not go into the church, as it was Sunday, but we were able to wander around and get some good photos.

Our driver, Luigi, then took us to Florence. We first stopped at a great overlook spot and got a beautiful view of the river and City. Luigi explained a number of the buildings, area, and history. He then took us into town and dropped us off to wander on our own. There were outdoor markets with wine and olive oil where we got to sample. We wandered through the leather vendors, across the gold bridge, and then out to one of the squares with lots of restaurants. We enjoyed an outdoor lunch with pizza, pasta, calzones, and wine.

After lunch, we split up to see the sights and shop. We took lots of photos and enjoyed the amazing architecture of the area.

Rome

Our plan for Monday was to get off the ship, take the shuttle to the train, and then take the train to Rome to see the sites on our own. Unfortunately, we were impacted by issues in the area again...there was a public transportation strike and the trains were not running. So once again, we hired a taxi for the day. All eight of us went out together today.

We took the shuttle from the ship to the port and then were 'engulfed' with taxi drivers looking for fares for the day. We met Silvio and spent the day with him...and an adventure it was. He showed us a map of places he was going to take us and we generally agreed...so off we went. The drive from the port at Civitavecchia to Rome is just over an hour. During the drive (there and back), we were entertained (or maybe sometimes annoyed) by Silvio's two cell phones which he talked on constantly. And when not talking, he was texting...and driving. And all this occurred during rush hour into Rome.

We arrived at our first stop in Rome, which was Piazzo Navona. Silvio got out of the taxi and showed us the way...we then realized, he was going to be our tour guide for the day. He explained the three fountains, their architects and names, and about the buildings in the square. He was also great about taking photos for us.

We were in and out of the taxi seeing sights for the next couple hours. We visited the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, and then finally to lunch. Driving through the City with our own taxi guide was a wonderful way to see all the back alleys and side streets. He knew the short cuts, the special parking spots, and a great way to visit and for how long. He took us to a good place for lunch...pizza, pasta, and of course wine!

Our last stop of the day was the Vatican City. It started to rain just as we got there, so we waited in line in the rain to get into St. Peter's Basilica...but it was not too long. St. Peter's was breathtaking as always. It is such a massive structure and is just beautiful!! We had planned to see the catacombs on this trip, but they were closed...so another change in plans. We enjoyed the basilica and the square.

Rome Photos

Pisa and Florence

Today, we visited Pisa and Florence. I will write more tomorrow or in the middle of the night.

First Day at Sea

Today was our first day at sea, and it was a day of getting acclimated. We slept in (a little), they woke us up early to do our muster training since we did not get to it yesterday. We checked out the ship a little, did some of the activities, and did some napping. It was a formal dinner tonight, and all eight of us were together for the first time. Dinner was good...and a number of new dishes were tried.

We found out our trip to Cinque Terra tomorrow was canceled due to mud slides on the road to the coast. Sooo, we checked our options to Florence and are heading inland in the morning.

Getting Ready for the Med

Its the weekend before we leave on our next Mediterranean cruise. It's laundry, packing, and getting the house ready for our departure. The luggage can't come out until the last minute, as Gatsby gets mad when he knows we're leaving (he'll have company, as a friend of ours will be staying with him).

We are excited for another trip back to Europe, and looking forward to a few family and friends joining us. My trip posts will start next weekend...stay tuned!

Deb's 40th Birthday

Last weekend, we celebrated Deb's birthday. We did a scavenger hunt in Georgetown and saw some of the fun places the area has to offer - an indoor sand volleyball court and a cool "gym" that gives trapeze lessons.

This photo is from the bar gathering after the party.