Some of our best friends live in Italy right now and so we went to see them.
Ferrara is where they live and though we had never heard of it before, it has some great old churches and a castle.
We took this picture because well, how often do you see a sign with Ina's name on it?
One day we went to Pisa. Here we are on our way to the tower.
It really leans quite a bit.
This picture is a little exaggerated, but you get the point.
Many towers built at those early times lean, but this one is so pretty we understand why it is famous.
I wonder if the kids walked too far that day.
Can you tell the Lois is kicking Matthew in the head? He was not happy here.
This is in the Basilica next to the tower.
Here is a monk encased in this glass casket. The kids told the little girls it was Snow White. I am not sure if they are permanently scarred or not.
Eating pizza in Pisa.
The pizza is different in Italy, but I think we all liked it.
One day we went to "walk on the beach and collect shells."
The weather was warmer than we expected and so everyone ended up in the water.
Well almost everyone.
It was more fun than we expected.
No one was sad about any of it.
Most of us were just dirty
and wet.
We also spent our second to last day with them in Venice.
We left all the little tiniest at home with one brave babysitter and took the train.
The waterways were beautiful.
The Grand Canal
We didn't ride in any boats.
But we crossed many bridges.
Saint Mark's Square
In "Olivia goes to Venice," Olivia decides to take a brick home as a souvenir from this clock tower and the whole thing falls.
Of course there was lots of pigeon chasing
This is St. Marks Basilica in St. Marks Square.
Jacob and his cohort.
The bridge of sighs. The story is that prisoners would pass from the building on the left to the building on the right for their executions. This covered bridge allowed them one last look at freedom and so they would "sigh" as they would cross on the way to their deaths. Happy thought, no?
I think we crossed every main bridge.
Lunch anyone?
This is the museum used in the 3rd Indiana Jones Movie.
It took us many hours to find, but worth a look.
The rest of the trip was just fun and
fun.
Our friends Italian home is very Italian.
And lots of fun to be there with them.
A twelve hour drive is not hard when there are good friends.
And great scenery through Switzerland along the way!
