Day 1: Indy to Chicago to NY to Dublin to London (June 29-30, 2007)
Well, let's just say it was a LONG day. Our flight left from Indy at 5:40am so we had to be there by 4:30am which meant we had to leave the house by 3:30am. I mean, what is the point of sleeping? I was up the whole night packing anyway, so I didn't sleep. Our flight to Chicago was short and sweet in many ways...it was actually short in flying time, we were SO excited for the trip, and I was able to catch a few (and I mean just a few) winks on Korry's shoulder. Airplane sleep is never real sleep anyway. From Chicago we landed in NY and met my sister (who had been traveling all night/morning from LA without any sleep) and my parents who live in NY part of the year. We had a quick NY lunch and then made our way to the other NY airport. We arrived, suprisingly, with plenty of time to spare. We ate fast food in the post-security pre-boarding international flight area and were already exhausted...no sleep and airport after airport is not a good plan.
Regardless of our physical or emotional exhaustion, we arrived in Dublin, Ireland and received our first (of the trip) stamp on our passports. We were there just long enough to run outside, breathe some Irish air, take a few pics, and head to our gateway to London.The airline staff in Dublin were the friendliest of the trip, minus the American customs agent who so warmly said, "Welcome home."
So, we headed to London Heathrow Airport arriving with only one day of sightseeing and one night of rest (yeah right). We took a sightseeing double-decker bus tour around London hopping on and off whenever we wanted. We saw all the major monuments: Big Ben (he really is big), Buckingham Palace (the guards were awesome), St. Paul's Cathedral (only from the outside because they wouldn't let us in without an "invitation"...interesting paradox, huh?), and all the others. Most importantly, we found a real English pub and ordered a few "pints of bitter".
Day 2: Paris, France (July 1, 2007)
We took the "Chunnel" from London to Paris, a 2.5 hour train ride partly in an underwater tunnel across the English Channel (hence it's name "Chunnel"). Now this was another story all-together. This was our first brush with the reality that Americans were not loved in all countries. As we were running extremely late for our train (they had to hold the train for us 3 "lateners"), I was so paranoid that the train was going to leave without us that I jumped onto the first coach with an open door, luggage and all; Carla and Korry followed. I entered into an almost silent coach that immediately recognized us as Americans by shooting disgusted smirks and rolling eyes right down that skinny, little aisle between the two seating sections. Long story short: I had to play Tetris with all the other people's luggage to get ours to fit somewhere, we falsely accused some Frenchmen of being in our seats, we sat in someone else's seats, but we still arrive in Paris in the end. It's to no surprise that we didn't take any pictures on that train.
In Paris, we took LOTS of pictures. Did I mention that from this entire trip we took 224 pictures (not to mention the 226 pics my sister, Carla, took)? We navigated, much to our own credit if I may, from the train station all the way to our quaint little (very little) pink and green hotel room in Montmarte, Van Gogh and other famous artists' old stomping grounds. It was breathtaking...just like you see in the movies: small, cobblestone roads - tall, intricate apartment buildings lining the streets - and, most of all, artists everywhere!
Montmarte Artists' Colony (where many famous artists started their studios), Sacre Couer (a cathedral of which we climbed over 400 stairs to the top and got a view of Paris like none other), and The Moulin Rouge. Most exciting, though, was climbing the Eiffel Tower at night. To be honest, I was terrified to be so high in the sky...it took a LOT of convincing to get me in that elevator (and you bet I kept a strong grip on the metal bars). It was beautiful (and you can imagine how excited my light designer husband was when it lit up like a constant firecracker). We also ate at a local French restaurant in Trocadero Square for 2 hours...it was terrible service and we couldn't ask for anything since we don't speak the littlest bit of French! We made it back to our hotel late (no surprise there) and with a few winks of sleep (maybe 3 hours), headed to the Beauvais Airport to fly to Rome.
Day 3: Rome (July 2, 2007)
We arrrived in Rome, Italy at around 11:30am where we met my other sister, Erica (the one who was already with me is Carla). We rented a car and headed into central Rome where all the sights are. We quickly found ourselves on the Metro (they don't call it "subway" there because it goes both under and above ground at times) and finally at The Spanish Steps (where many famous artists, authors, and the like hung out). Today, LOTS of tourists are now taking temporary residence on those steps. At the bottom of those Spanish Steps was the greatest gelato (Italian ice cream) place that we found (and trust me, we tried many...about 2 a day). Around the corner was the amazing Fountain de Trevi (subject of many familiar works like the song "Three Coi
ns in the Fountain" and others). This was my favorite sight of the entire trip. It seemed like it had dropped out of the sky making just enough clearing through the tall buldings and narrow cobblestone roads. It was HUGE. No picture does it justice...I can't even compare it to anything I've seen in the US. It would be amazing for someone to create such a fountain today, but way back then...without technology, power tools, etc...unbelieveable. We did the traditional ritual: throw three coins over your left shoulder (one at a time) and make two wishes. The 3rd wish is always "to come back to Rome". Another spectacle was The Pantheon housing the ceiling dome off of which many others were based. The humongous (sp?) pillars in front were imported and made in ONE piece...yeah, one piece. I can't imagine the process. We had our first Italian cuisine in Rome...pasta re-defined, or perhaps...defined for the first time. Olive Garden will never be the same now.
Alas, that evening, we came home to our villa: Le Balze. Wow...those paintings of Tuscany...suprisingly accurate, but not anywhere close to as beautiful. I wish our pictures could show how amazing it was, but nothing can show it as we saw and felt it. We had our own vineyard, olive trees, vegetable garden, and pool for starters. We already talked about coming back in 2009!
Day 4: Florence (July 3, 2007)
Florence was only an hour away from our villa...or so our directions said. Someone told us
that we should always plan an additional hour into driving time for getting lost. They were right. So, about 2 hours later, we were in parking spots in Florence. Today was a great day...not only were the sights amazing, we were finally all together: Lisa, Ping, the boys, Erica, Carla, Korry, and I. It was so great to be together and being in such a beautiful place only made it more amazing. We saw Il Duomo (cathedral) and Michelangelo's statue of David. Let's pause there...David. Wow. You'd think he was life size...wrong, he was gigantic. You'd think his body shape and facial expression wouldn't look real...wrong, he was so real looking, his gaze, veins, leg muscles were astonishingly real. I was amazed...have I used that word too many times already? I better start thinking of another one...
That evening, we went to dinner in Cortona (the city where our villa is). Slap happy and going a little nutty in the cabeza, we took some weird pictures. Dinner was great...tasty seafood pasta!
Day 5: Cortona and The Villa (July 4, 2007)
Today, we took a day off from running around sightseeing. Instead we ran around at the villa...sleeping in, having brunch at a local cafe, swimming, making Pinecone Stew (my nephews' creation), and playing a knock-down, drag-out game of Starwars (another of my nephews' creations). Another great day...and some much needed rest.
Day 6: Venice (July 5, 2007)
A whole city without cars...so quiet! The only place like it on Earth, 
Venice forbades any cars or motorized vehicles other than small boats! Famous for their lace, blown glass, and gondola rides, Venice was a packed-in day trip. We went shopping in the famous Open Market, saw a glass blowing demonstration (very cool), saw Saint Mark's Cathedral and it's million pigeons, and took a gondola ride with beloved...Paolo. He sang underneath his breath (if he would've sang any louder it would've cost us 30 additional Euros...no joke!), wore the traditional red and white stripped shirt, and had that sultry Italian accent that none of us could really imitate well (even though we tried). The waterways were thin and the bridges were low, but Paolo had it under control. I'd love to go back and stay a while...a place like no other, really.
Day 7: Rome (July 6, 2007)
So, we made it back to Rome for some more...our 3rd wish from the Fountain de Trevi had already come true! This time, we got to see The Vatican Museum, The Sistene Chapel (Michelangelo's ceiling masterpiece), Saint Peter's Basillica (under which Saint Peter's remains lie to rest), Saint Peter's Square, and the Colosseum (the home of gladiators and historical Roman entertainment). The history couldn't get any richer! Michelangelo's Sistene Chapel ceiling told every major bible story in a way I've never seen or heard...and to think he did it ALL BY HIMSELF (sometimes on his back or even upside down). The Basillica was breathtaking and in it was a sculpture that brough me to tears...the Pieta. How astonishing that a rock once rejec
ted by artists is now the most real image of Mary and Jesus after his death. I couldn't look at it for too long, it was actually hard to keep looking at her face!
And, then...the Colosseum. Can you say, HUGE? Wow, there were underground passageways to protect the gladiators from the public, 75,000 seats, and so many deaths that they stopped counting in this place. It was outside of the Colosseum that I had the best club sandwich I've ever had...very unexpected, but oh so needed at the time. This sight almost ties the Fountain de Trevi for me...
That evening, we stayed at a nasty little hotel in Rome. Erica headed back to the villa to join Lisa and Ping (and company) for a few days in Venice and then 
back to the US. The nasty Rome hotel was not worth all that it took to get there...2 hours of driving around in circles. When we finally got there, we ate at the hotel restaurant...nasty again...bad service, packaged dried breadsticks, and $4 miniature Sprite bottles to drink. Thank goodness the pasta was ok...messing up pasta in Italy is like messing up a pb&j sandwich here! The icing on the nasty cake was the fact that in our non-airconditioned room, there was only one king-sized bed for the three of us. Guess who had to sleep in the middle? Yup, sleeping on the crack was interesting. Good thing we were exhausted...our close quarters didn't bother us too badly.
Day 8: Rome to Germany to New York (July 7, 2007)
We made it to Rome on-time...surprise surprise! Flew to Germany...another stamp on the passports and the most thorough security checkpoints I've ever experienced. Flew to New York, a seven-and-a-half hour flight...two meals, two movies, and no sleep. Mom and Dad picked us up at JFK Airport with lots of questions and big smiles. We ate at Gray's Papaya (famous hot dog joint in NY), unpacked into Erica's apartment, and headed to Hartsdale (where my parents apartment is) to celebrate Carla's 28th birthday.
Too bad we were all asleep on the couch within 2 hours!Day 9: New York and Back Home
The next day, jet-lag set in. All three of us were awake (and rather annoyed at that) at 6am. We were out on the usually busy NY streets before anyone else was out...the vendors were hosing down the sidewalks and the bakeries were just opening. We wandered into a cafe, had breakfast, and then went flea-marketing. Later that afternoon, we met Mom and Dad and went to Chinatown for the best wonton soup and lychee ice cream in the US. Then it was off to the airports again...and then,..back home.
