This will be my last post but its safe to say we are all glad to be back in Perth! After having our flight delayed by about 2 hours in Venice we almost missed our connecting flight from Dubai! Luckily they knew we were coming and managed to wait for us!
After the initial 2 hours extra, 6 hour flight to Dubai and 10 hour flight to Perth we are all glad to be here and looking forward to going back to school Wednesday!!!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Waiting patiently at Marco Polo
Well we made it safely to Marco Polo Airport in Venice after a half hour water taxi. Our luggage was sent separately with a porter on a boat earlier in the day and we were panicking at one stage that it wouldn't arrive. Luckily it did as we were lining up to check in!
At the moment we are waiting to board our flight to Dubai but the flight has been delayed by an hour and a half! It should be ok, we had a 3 hour wait in Dubai but now it'll only be 1.5hrs.
Will post again when we arrive in Dubai around 12pm our time.
At the moment we are waiting to board our flight to Dubai but the flight has been delayed by an hour and a half! It should be ok, we had a 3 hour wait in Dubai but now it'll only be 1.5hrs.
Will post again when we arrive in Dubai around 12pm our time.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Last day in Venice
Well it's been a fantastic holiday and needless to say the kids have enjoyed every moment. Today was the final day of our trip before we leave Venice tomorrow for Dubai and then arrive back in Perth Sunday afternoon.
We had a bit of a sleep in and brekky by 9am. The last two things we had planned were visiting Palazzo Ducale and going on a gondola. Palazzo Ducale is known in English as Doge's Palace. Doge was the duke or ruler of Venice and the Palace was thought to have started construction in the 10th century. Although it is also suggested that in the 15th century there were more expansions. It has been a public museum since 1923.
Inside the palace there are several courtrooms, an armoury, a grand courtroom (52m x 25m) and a walkway from the courts to the prison through the Ponte di Sospiri. We had a good walk through the entire place and also got to walk through the "bridge of sighs".
When we left the Palazzo Ducale it was time for lunch. Most ate pizza (again) and had gelato (again). After lunch the kids went on a gondola ride in groups of 6!
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing at the hotel and packing, getting ready for our long flight home tomorrow!
Below are a few photos from today!
We had a bit of a sleep in and brekky by 9am. The last two things we had planned were visiting Palazzo Ducale and going on a gondola. Palazzo Ducale is known in English as Doge's Palace. Doge was the duke or ruler of Venice and the Palace was thought to have started construction in the 10th century. Although it is also suggested that in the 15th century there were more expansions. It has been a public museum since 1923.
Inside the palace there are several courtrooms, an armoury, a grand courtroom (52m x 25m) and a walkway from the courts to the prison through the Ponte di Sospiri. We had a good walk through the entire place and also got to walk through the "bridge of sighs".
When we left the Palazzo Ducale it was time for lunch. Most ate pizza (again) and had gelato (again). After lunch the kids went on a gondola ride in groups of 6!
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing at the hotel and packing, getting ready for our long flight home tomorrow!
Below are a few photos from today!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Murano, Burano and Torcello
The kids were happy this morning because they had a chance to sleep in a bit longer as we didn't have much planned for the morning. Our tour to the islands Murano, Burano and Torcello was booked in at 1pm.
Before lunch the kids just relaxed and did their own thing. A group went out with Carmina for some shopping, pizza and donuts. When they got back I took another group to get pizzas and donuts. I was especially impressed with young Kaitlin and her continued support for the poor and needy. Today she offered a hungry man a piece of pizza! I wish I had of captured this moment on camera as the man reached out with two flat hands and a smile on his face. On several occasions our students have seen the poor and offered a couple of Euro to them!
Our tour guide met us at the hotel at 1pm and we walked to meet our water taxi. Our first stop was Murano, famous for its glass all around the world. We were greeted by Andrea who I believe was the owner of a small foundry and boutique Murano glass shop! He showed us through to an area where his best glass blower put on a demonstration. Within 5 mins he had blown a colourful vase and then in another 3 mins a medium sized prancing horse. The way he manipulated the glass at that high temperature whilst spinning it was jaw dropping!! We took plenty of photos and videos. The kids went in and bought plenty of Murano glass and we left just after 2.30.
The next stop was Burano, famous for its lace and doilies. Not my cup of tea but as Carmina said her mother and my grandmother would've loved it. Burano is very colourful due to each family painting their buildings in a different colour. We stopped for an hour to give the kids time to look around and buy some lace or souvenirs then we left around 4pm.
Our last thing to do was to go and see Torcello, home to the oldest church in Venice. We thought time and the weather would be against us so just drove past on the boat rather than risking the wet weather. On our way past we took some photos then returned to the mainland.
After our tour the kids were a bit tired so we went back to the hotel for a rest before dinner. For dinner we had Roast Chicken with fries and Creme caramel dressed as Pannacotta (it was meant to be pannacotta but tasted very average). We returned to the hotel by 8.30 and lights were out by 9.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Venice. We are going to Palazzo Ducale and on a gondola ride. I'm looking forward to coming home Saturday/Sunday and I think some of the kids are too!!
Before lunch the kids just relaxed and did their own thing. A group went out with Carmina for some shopping, pizza and donuts. When they got back I took another group to get pizzas and donuts. I was especially impressed with young Kaitlin and her continued support for the poor and needy. Today she offered a hungry man a piece of pizza! I wish I had of captured this moment on camera as the man reached out with two flat hands and a smile on his face. On several occasions our students have seen the poor and offered a couple of Euro to them!
Our tour guide met us at the hotel at 1pm and we walked to meet our water taxi. Our first stop was Murano, famous for its glass all around the world. We were greeted by Andrea who I believe was the owner of a small foundry and boutique Murano glass shop! He showed us through to an area where his best glass blower put on a demonstration. Within 5 mins he had blown a colourful vase and then in another 3 mins a medium sized prancing horse. The way he manipulated the glass at that high temperature whilst spinning it was jaw dropping!! We took plenty of photos and videos. The kids went in and bought plenty of Murano glass and we left just after 2.30.
The next stop was Burano, famous for its lace and doilies. Not my cup of tea but as Carmina said her mother and my grandmother would've loved it. Burano is very colourful due to each family painting their buildings in a different colour. We stopped for an hour to give the kids time to look around and buy some lace or souvenirs then we left around 4pm.
Our last thing to do was to go and see Torcello, home to the oldest church in Venice. We thought time and the weather would be against us so just drove past on the boat rather than risking the wet weather. On our way past we took some photos then returned to the mainland.
After our tour the kids were a bit tired so we went back to the hotel for a rest before dinner. For dinner we had Roast Chicken with fries and Creme caramel dressed as Pannacotta (it was meant to be pannacotta but tasted very average). We returned to the hotel by 8.30 and lights were out by 9.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Venice. We are going to Palazzo Ducale and on a gondola ride. I'm looking forward to coming home Saturday/Sunday and I think some of the kids are too!!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
First full day in Venice
Today was our first full day in Venice. We had a bit of a sleep in and breakfast at 8.30am. After breakfast we decided to take a walk to the main tourist attraction of Venice, St Marks square.
On our way to the Piazza San Marco we past the Ponte di Sospiri (the bridge of sighs). The name comes from the fact that prisoners used to breathe their last sigh after being imprisoned for life due to crimes. The bridge connects the law court with the prison and on the bridge used to be the prisoners last view of Venice through two small windows.
We then continued on to the Piazza di San Marco. The kids took lots of photos and had a chance to wander around for a half hour or so! The main attraction is St Mark's Basilica and the kids went in to have a good look. In the piazza there were thousands of tourists but also hundreds of pigeons which you can buy feed for if you wish! Our kids weren't too keen and were just happy taking photos.
After they did a tour of the basilica the kids were starving so we went to find the nearest restaurant! We stumbled upon a little trattoria with a 13€ deal. You could have a two course meal with a dessert or coffee! A couple of kids just had the one meal but most took advantage of the space in the bellies to fill them up. Some cousins of mine met up with us and we ate lunch together.
After lunch the kids went back to the hotel for a brief stop then they were off to see the Ponte di Rialto. The Ponte di Rialto is the oldest bridge in Venice and spans across the grand canal, the widest canal. They returned to the hotel to rest before dinner!
Tomorrow will be another sleep in as we begin to unwind our trip! In the afternoon we are going on a tour of the islands of Venice, Murano, Burano and Torcello. Murano is famous for its glass blowing, Burano for its lace and Torcello for its church. Friday will be our last day spent here. It will consist of gondola rides and last minute shopping.
On our way to the Piazza San Marco we past the Ponte di Sospiri (the bridge of sighs). The name comes from the fact that prisoners used to breathe their last sigh after being imprisoned for life due to crimes. The bridge connects the law court with the prison and on the bridge used to be the prisoners last view of Venice through two small windows.
We then continued on to the Piazza di San Marco. The kids took lots of photos and had a chance to wander around for a half hour or so! The main attraction is St Mark's Basilica and the kids went in to have a good look. In the piazza there were thousands of tourists but also hundreds of pigeons which you can buy feed for if you wish! Our kids weren't too keen and were just happy taking photos.
After they did a tour of the basilica the kids were starving so we went to find the nearest restaurant! We stumbled upon a little trattoria with a 13€ deal. You could have a two course meal with a dessert or coffee! A couple of kids just had the one meal but most took advantage of the space in the bellies to fill them up. Some cousins of mine met up with us and we ate lunch together.
After lunch the kids went back to the hotel for a brief stop then they were off to see the Ponte di Rialto. The Ponte di Rialto is the oldest bridge in Venice and spans across the grand canal, the widest canal. They returned to the hotel to rest before dinner!
Tomorrow will be another sleep in as we begin to unwind our trip! In the afternoon we are going on a tour of the islands of Venice, Murano, Burano and Torcello. Murano is famous for its glass blowing, Burano for its lace and Torcello for its church. Friday will be our last day spent here. It will consist of gondola rides and last minute shopping.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Venice
This morning we had a quick breakfast before grabbing our bags and leaving the hotel by 8am. We were heading to a bridge nearby to catch the bus to the station. We got to Florence Termini by 8.50 and waited until our train arrived just before 9.30am.
We loaded our luggage onto carriage #7 and went towards our seats. Our seats had been pre-booked and paid for months in advance so there shouldn't have been a problem. However, for some reason, Italians (and a group of three who we thought we Russian) don't think they need to sit in their allocated seats. We were all meant to be seated together but we weren't because they refused to move. I had to hold my best Italian words on the tip of my tongue but I thought how rude!!
Anyway, we made it to Venice after a 2 hour train ride. Our next task was to load our luggage into two separate water taxis. If you can imagine the most pristine timber boat with leather seats, that was our ride. The drivers weren't too impressed with the amount of cargo but they got us to our location. We offloaded the luggage to dry land and walked to our hotel.
As it was before 2pm we couldn't check in so left our luggage in the storeroom and went for a walk to find some lunch. We had lunch just around the corner in Piazza della Santa Maria Formosa. We came back and checked in. The kids went to their rooms briefly before we asked them to gather their laundry because we were going to make a quick trip to the laundromat!
After an hour or so we returned to the hotel for some downtime before going out to dinner at 7pm.
Tomorrow we will walk around Venice to get our bearings and see some sights.
Below is a photo of some of the kids in the water taxi!!
We loaded our luggage onto carriage #7 and went towards our seats. Our seats had been pre-booked and paid for months in advance so there shouldn't have been a problem. However, for some reason, Italians (and a group of three who we thought we Russian) don't think they need to sit in their allocated seats. We were all meant to be seated together but we weren't because they refused to move. I had to hold my best Italian words on the tip of my tongue but I thought how rude!!
Anyway, we made it to Venice after a 2 hour train ride. Our next task was to load our luggage into two separate water taxis. If you can imagine the most pristine timber boat with leather seats, that was our ride. The drivers weren't too impressed with the amount of cargo but they got us to our location. We offloaded the luggage to dry land and walked to our hotel.
As it was before 2pm we couldn't check in so left our luggage in the storeroom and went for a walk to find some lunch. We had lunch just around the corner in Piazza della Santa Maria Formosa. We came back and checked in. The kids went to their rooms briefly before we asked them to gather their laundry because we were going to make a quick trip to the laundromat!
After an hour or so we returned to the hotel for some downtime before going out to dinner at 7pm.
Tomorrow we will walk around Venice to get our bearings and see some sights.
Below is a photo of some of the kids in the water taxi!!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Ferrari Museum and Shopping
Today was a day to keep the students happy in two completely different ways. The ladies were having a sleep in before a long day shopping and the car lovers had an early start so we could take the train to the Ferrari Museum.
The boys, Chelsea, Sierra and I started with a brisk walk to the station at 7.30am. We arrived just before 8 and had a quick brekky before taking the train to Bologna. We stayed on at Bologna and got off at Modena. Modena is home to the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari. We had an hour or so to kill so we spent it at the museum. This museum focuses on the story of Enzo and Scuderia Ferrari as well as other people involved with the early stages of Ferrari. There are also several cars on exhibition including "Maseratis" and are changed ever 6 months. After an hour or so we jumped on the shuttle bus to Maranello, the home of the Ferrari Museum.
We arrived in Maranello about 12pm and I saw about 12 Ferraris in the main street. When we arrived in the museum car park there were another 10 at least including 4 you could test drive. Again, I had to resist because it costs about 400€ for an hour. We had a quick lunch in the cafe before going through the museum.
The museum's entry starts with Ferrari's "super car" version similar to Bugatti's Veyron. It's called the 599XX and just looks amazing. Other cars you can find in the museum are their F40, F50, F430, Dino's, F1 racing cars and the list goes on. There's also a special room dedicated to F1 racing with trophies, F1 cars and a sound room where you can hear various Ferrari sounds in full throttle. We spent a good hour or so walking around before a couple of the boys tested their driving skills on an F1 Simulator. Being completely different to any video game they've ever played they struggled initially to keep the car under control. After a warm up lap they were starting to get the hang of it but sadly they're not younger versions of Michael Schumacher.
We left the museum about 2.30 and had a quick look in the gift shops where some kids bought some great things. The shuttle bus took us back to Modena, then we caught the train to Bologna and onto Florence. Dinner was booked for 7pm, we arrived shortly after and met up with the shoppers. They had a busy day going in and out of various retail stores and the markets. By the sounds of it a few dollars were spent!
Dinner was brief as most of the kids were stuffed after a long day. We had roast chicken, pork and sausages served with green beans and potato wedges. Dessert was called "Nonna's Torta", a slither of cake made with a cheesecake style base, custard and apples in the middle and icing sugar on top. It was a good way to end the day. The kids spent their last half hour before bed doing a quiz on Florence and writing in their journals.
Tomorrow we're off to Venice in the morning so a long train ride and a few boats and we'll be there mid afternoon! Hopefully all the presents fit into their suitcases...
The boys, Chelsea, Sierra and I started with a brisk walk to the station at 7.30am. We arrived just before 8 and had a quick brekky before taking the train to Bologna. We stayed on at Bologna and got off at Modena. Modena is home to the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari. We had an hour or so to kill so we spent it at the museum. This museum focuses on the story of Enzo and Scuderia Ferrari as well as other people involved with the early stages of Ferrari. There are also several cars on exhibition including "Maseratis" and are changed ever 6 months. After an hour or so we jumped on the shuttle bus to Maranello, the home of the Ferrari Museum.
We arrived in Maranello about 12pm and I saw about 12 Ferraris in the main street. When we arrived in the museum car park there were another 10 at least including 4 you could test drive. Again, I had to resist because it costs about 400€ for an hour. We had a quick lunch in the cafe before going through the museum.
The museum's entry starts with Ferrari's "super car" version similar to Bugatti's Veyron. It's called the 599XX and just looks amazing. Other cars you can find in the museum are their F40, F50, F430, Dino's, F1 racing cars and the list goes on. There's also a special room dedicated to F1 racing with trophies, F1 cars and a sound room where you can hear various Ferrari sounds in full throttle. We spent a good hour or so walking around before a couple of the boys tested their driving skills on an F1 Simulator. Being completely different to any video game they've ever played they struggled initially to keep the car under control. After a warm up lap they were starting to get the hang of it but sadly they're not younger versions of Michael Schumacher.
We left the museum about 2.30 and had a quick look in the gift shops where some kids bought some great things. The shuttle bus took us back to Modena, then we caught the train to Bologna and onto Florence. Dinner was booked for 7pm, we arrived shortly after and met up with the shoppers. They had a busy day going in and out of various retail stores and the markets. By the sounds of it a few dollars were spent!
Dinner was brief as most of the kids were stuffed after a long day. We had roast chicken, pork and sausages served with green beans and potato wedges. Dessert was called "Nonna's Torta", a slither of cake made with a cheesecake style base, custard and apples in the middle and icing sugar on top. It was a good way to end the day. The kids spent their last half hour before bed doing a quiz on Florence and writing in their journals.
Tomorrow we're off to Venice in the morning so a long train ride and a few boats and we'll be there mid afternoon! Hopefully all the presents fit into their suitcases...
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Last day of lessons
Today was the last day the kids had language lessons. They were sent on a treasure hunt to various locations to speak in Italian and practice their map reading skills. From all accounts they thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
We had a quick lunch on the go because we needed to get to the Uffizi Gallery by about 1pm. We lined up for about 15 mins and got in about 1.20 or so. The Uffizi Gallery has thousands of pieces of artwork and sculptures included some from Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Giotto. The more famous paintings are: "Primavera" & "The Birth of Venus" (Botticelli), "The Annunciation" (da Vinci) and "Ognissanti" (Madonna, by Giotto). Unfortunately, no photos are allowed except for the view of the Ponte Vecchio from the gallery's second floor.
We were all done and dusted by about 2.15. Our next priority was to rest the legs as the kids were quite tired. Tawny brought along her flute and school uniform to play in the Piazza della Signoria. We sat and rested whilst Tawny and Carmina to returned to the hotel.
When they got back, Tawny set herself up in front of the Palazzo Vecchio and the Fountain of Neptune. She played one song but one of the carabinieri (police) interrupted her during the second as no unauthorized music is allowed to be played! Luckily they didn't issue a fine!!
The kids and I set off to the markets whilst Carmina took Tawny back to the hotel to change. We met up again at the markets where the kids bought a few more things. Once they had enough we returned to the hotel and are now resting before dinner and another big day tomorrow! I'm taking the boys, Chelsea and Sierra to the Ferrari museum whilst the others go shopping!
We had a quick lunch on the go because we needed to get to the Uffizi Gallery by about 1pm. We lined up for about 15 mins and got in about 1.20 or so. The Uffizi Gallery has thousands of pieces of artwork and sculptures included some from Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Giotto. The more famous paintings are: "Primavera" & "The Birth of Venus" (Botticelli), "The Annunciation" (da Vinci) and "Ognissanti" (Madonna, by Giotto). Unfortunately, no photos are allowed except for the view of the Ponte Vecchio from the gallery's second floor.
We were all done and dusted by about 2.15. Our next priority was to rest the legs as the kids were quite tired. Tawny brought along her flute and school uniform to play in the Piazza della Signoria. We sat and rested whilst Tawny and Carmina to returned to the hotel.
When they got back, Tawny set herself up in front of the Palazzo Vecchio and the Fountain of Neptune. She played one song but one of the carabinieri (police) interrupted her during the second as no unauthorized music is allowed to be played! Luckily they didn't issue a fine!!
The kids and I set off to the markets whilst Carmina took Tawny back to the hotel to change. We met up again at the markets where the kids bought a few more things. Once they had enough we returned to the hotel and are now resting before dinner and another big day tomorrow! I'm taking the boys, Chelsea and Sierra to the Ferrari museum whilst the others go shopping!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
David and panoramic view of Florence
The kids had their second last language lesson this morning. It sounds like they're learning a bit which is great! We stopped for lunch right near the school and the kids had a chance to relax a bit after their 3 hour lesson!
After lunch, we went into the Galleria dell' Academia to see the Statue of David. Inside there are lots of famous artists' work but the main attractions are the music museum and David. No photos are allowed so the kids will need to describe their own thoughts and feelings to you when they can!
We then left the gallery and caught the bus to the station. Our aim was to get to Piazza del Michelangelo where we could get a few panoramic photos of Florence. When we arrived, there was a Ferrari California that caught our eye. They were offering test drives for 110 Euro for 10 minutes or 250 for half an hour. I was very tempted but manage to resist!! Below are a few photos I took but the weather was overcast and it rained whilst we were there.
A bus trip back to the station and another back to near the gallery allowed us to pop into a small shop with Ferrari memorabilia. The kids loved it, buying things like calendars, scale model cars and pencil cases. We then walked back to the hotel and are now resting before going out to dinner.
Tomorrow will be the last lesson for the kids and then we have tickets to the Uffizi Gallery after lunch. From then on it will be shopping and relaxing before a busy few days in Venice.
After lunch, we went into the Galleria dell' Academia to see the Statue of David. Inside there are lots of famous artists' work but the main attractions are the music museum and David. No photos are allowed so the kids will need to describe their own thoughts and feelings to you when they can!
We then left the gallery and caught the bus to the station. Our aim was to get to Piazza del Michelangelo where we could get a few panoramic photos of Florence. When we arrived, there was a Ferrari California that caught our eye. They were offering test drives for 110 Euro for 10 minutes or 250 for half an hour. I was very tempted but manage to resist!! Below are a few photos I took but the weather was overcast and it rained whilst we were there.
A bus trip back to the station and another back to near the gallery allowed us to pop into a small shop with Ferrari memorabilia. The kids loved it, buying things like calendars, scale model cars and pencil cases. We then walked back to the hotel and are now resting before going out to dinner.
Tomorrow will be the last lesson for the kids and then we have tickets to the Uffizi Gallery after lunch. From then on it will be shopping and relaxing before a busy few days in Venice.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Pisa
Today was the day for our trip to Pisa after the kids had their 9am-12 language lessons. We set off from Florence Termini around 1pm after the kids had a quick panino on the go. We were booked in for a 3.30pm climb of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
When we arrived we noticed a line to queue up for the climb so jumped in at the end of it. We got to the front of the line about 3.40 and the guy in charge said we were late for our booking. Being Australian, you usually line up for things and don't just walk to the front of the line to go in. Anyway, we were lucky enough that they were going to let us in but not as a whole group unfortunately. They made us go up in groups of 5 with one teacher at a time. In the end it didn't matter because they could've quite easily said no.
The view from the top was amazing although it was a bit overcast. The kids were keen to take plenty of photos trying to hold up the tower etc. Some very interesting initiative shown, including "photo bombing" of other groups' photos and their peers. I had a laugh with the kids as well taking a one finger approach (see below). Our stay in Pisa was fairly lengthy, around 3.5-4 hours and well worth it from the looks of some of the kids photos.
We then had a brisk walk back to the train station to catch the 5.54 train to Florence so we could get to dinner by 7. The train was 5 mins late plus stopped at every station so we didn't arrive in Florence until after 7! Half of the group met a lady from Melbourne, Claire, and we asked her to join us for dinner. We ate at the same restaurant as the first night, Baroncelli, and had pasta in a meat sauce with trifle for dessert. The kids and I felt like a gelato so we got one on the walk home.
The kids were in their rooms to write their journals and lights out by about 10pm. Tomorrow is another big day with lessons in the morning, Galleria of academia to see the Statue of David and piazza del Michelangelo to see the full panoramic view of Florence from the mountain. The kids will get a chance to do a bit of shipping on the last few days here and I might take the boys (and whoever else wants to come) to the Ferrari factory in Maranello on Sunday!
When we arrived we noticed a line to queue up for the climb so jumped in at the end of it. We got to the front of the line about 3.40 and the guy in charge said we were late for our booking. Being Australian, you usually line up for things and don't just walk to the front of the line to go in. Anyway, we were lucky enough that they were going to let us in but not as a whole group unfortunately. They made us go up in groups of 5 with one teacher at a time. In the end it didn't matter because they could've quite easily said no.
The view from the top was amazing although it was a bit overcast. The kids were keen to take plenty of photos trying to hold up the tower etc. Some very interesting initiative shown, including "photo bombing" of other groups' photos and their peers. I had a laugh with the kids as well taking a one finger approach (see below). Our stay in Pisa was fairly lengthy, around 3.5-4 hours and well worth it from the looks of some of the kids photos.
We then had a brisk walk back to the train station to catch the 5.54 train to Florence so we could get to dinner by 7. The train was 5 mins late plus stopped at every station so we didn't arrive in Florence until after 7! Half of the group met a lady from Melbourne, Claire, and we asked her to join us for dinner. We ate at the same restaurant as the first night, Baroncelli, and had pasta in a meat sauce with trifle for dessert. The kids and I felt like a gelato so we got one on the walk home.
The kids were in their rooms to write their journals and lights out by about 10pm. Tomorrow is another big day with lessons in the morning, Galleria of academia to see the Statue of David and piazza del Michelangelo to see the full panoramic view of Florence from the mountain. The kids will get a chance to do a bit of shipping on the last few days here and I might take the boys (and whoever else wants to come) to the Ferrari factory in Maranello on Sunday!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Florence
Today was the kids first day of language lessons at the Galileo Institute. The weather was warm around 25 degrees bit cloudy. We had a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausages and the usual cold meats and cheeses. They also put on a few desserts like cakes and doughnuts! After brekky we walked for about 15-20 mins to the institute.
From 9am to 12pm the kids had lessons. After the lessons we had lunch at the local restaurant. With a quick stop at the pharmacy, we returned to the institute to meet our walking tour guide Rafaelo. Our tour was planned to be from 2pm-4pm. As all knowledgable guides do, he went into plenty of detail, some facts that would've gone straight over the kids head but very informative. We visited il Duomo, the Piazza Antica, the Old Palace and the Piazza della Signoria. The tour finished just after 4.30.
A few kids bought gelato again! Then it was time to rest and write in their journals before getting ready for dinner. Tomorrow they're back at school for 3 hours and in the afternoon we're heading to Pisa!!
From 9am to 12pm the kids had lessons. After the lessons we had lunch at the local restaurant. With a quick stop at the pharmacy, we returned to the institute to meet our walking tour guide Rafaelo. Our tour was planned to be from 2pm-4pm. As all knowledgable guides do, he went into plenty of detail, some facts that would've gone straight over the kids head but very informative. We visited il Duomo, the Piazza Antica, the Old Palace and the Piazza della Signoria. The tour finished just after 4.30.
A few kids bought gelato again! Then it was time to rest and write in their journals before getting ready for dinner. Tomorrow they're back at school for 3 hours and in the afternoon we're heading to Pisa!!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Day Four
Today was a nice and warm day around 23 degrees. We had brekky and checked out by 8am, heading to Termini to catch the train to Florence. We got there with plenty of time to spare as our train wasn't until 9.15.
We hopped onboard, heading to our seats but struggled to fit in all of the suitcases. It was a mad rush to get all the luggage between the seats or above them. We got there eventually as the train was on the move.
The first task for the kids as we left Rome was a quiz. There were some difficult questions and those who listened to Carmina's little remarks the past few days would've done quite well! The rest of the 1.5 hour trip went fairly quickly and soon enough we were getting off at Florence.
We arrived in Florence with no coach driver in sight! Carmina rang them and they told us where we might find him. We walked one way but figured out it was completely the opposite way but eventually found him. He explained how one company has a deal with Florence Termini and can pick up passengers at the main exit but everyone else has to park at the furtherest possible exit.
It was no big deal at that stage, a short bus trip to our hotel and a "300m walk". Well obviously Italians aren't very good at estimating because our "300m walk" took us a good 30mins and was more like 3000 metres!! They'd be no good at exaggerating the size of the fish they caught.
Another problem lie in the fact that the street our hotel was on had been numbered in colours and numbers. For example, we were looking for 22 Nero (black) but we walked past 22 Red, 22 White, 22 green and 22 blue before finally some old fella showed us where 22 Nero was (in between 16 red and 24 blue!!) strange but true.
We checked in and freshened up then set off to find some lunch. Cafe Bellini was our choice and most, if not all, had pizza. Again, as you'd expect, very tasty and we finished it off with a gelato.
The rest of the afternoon was for the kids to relax a bit and rest up before a busy few days ahead. Tomorrow they'll start their 3 days of language school and have a Historical walking tour of Florence. The next day we'll be going to Pisa after lunch for a 1/2 day trip.
Below are a few photos from today.
We hopped onboard, heading to our seats but struggled to fit in all of the suitcases. It was a mad rush to get all the luggage between the seats or above them. We got there eventually as the train was on the move.
The first task for the kids as we left Rome was a quiz. There were some difficult questions and those who listened to Carmina's little remarks the past few days would've done quite well! The rest of the 1.5 hour trip went fairly quickly and soon enough we were getting off at Florence.
We arrived in Florence with no coach driver in sight! Carmina rang them and they told us where we might find him. We walked one way but figured out it was completely the opposite way but eventually found him. He explained how one company has a deal with Florence Termini and can pick up passengers at the main exit but everyone else has to park at the furtherest possible exit.
It was no big deal at that stage, a short bus trip to our hotel and a "300m walk". Well obviously Italians aren't very good at estimating because our "300m walk" took us a good 30mins and was more like 3000 metres!! They'd be no good at exaggerating the size of the fish they caught.
Another problem lie in the fact that the street our hotel was on had been numbered in colours and numbers. For example, we were looking for 22 Nero (black) but we walked past 22 Red, 22 White, 22 green and 22 blue before finally some old fella showed us where 22 Nero was (in between 16 red and 24 blue!!) strange but true.
We checked in and freshened up then set off to find some lunch. Cafe Bellini was our choice and most, if not all, had pizza. Again, as you'd expect, very tasty and we finished it off with a gelato.
The rest of the afternoon was for the kids to relax a bit and rest up before a busy few days ahead. Tomorrow they'll start their 3 days of language school and have a Historical walking tour of Florence. The next day we'll be going to Pisa after lunch for a 1/2 day trip.
Below are a few photos from today.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Day Three
Well day three (actually day four as day 1 was lost in the air) was another busy one! We set off just after 8 to Termini to catch the metro to The Vatican. Our first challenge was to get on the metro as it was already packed like sardines. Luckily, the trains run every minute in peak hour because it took us four trains to get on and even then only half made it on. We prepared ourselves for this and I stayed with half the group whilst the rest were with Carmina. We met again at Cipro station and walked towards the Vatican Museum.
There were people everywhere and lines for everything but again we had pre-ordered tickets so didn't have to wait too long. Inside the Vatican Museum it was like we were going through customs with all the security checks. Once through all that we proceeded up towards areas like the Gregoriano Profano Museum, Chiaramonti Museum and of course the Sistine Chapel! Some amazing artwork and plenty of photos but none in the chapel as it isn't allowed (neither is talking or any clothing that doesn't cover shoulders and knees).
From there a few kids bought souvenirs and then we proceeded into St Peter's Basilica. Another amazing feat of expansive architecture and hundreds of paintings on the ceiling. We stayed for a hour or so until our stomachs were telling us it was time for lunch. After leaving the basilica we had a quick walk around St Peter's Square and took plenty more photos. We left the Vatican and headed back to the metro to have lunch on the Spanish Steps!
Carmina's cousins had been in touch earlier on mentioning that they would like to meet up at lunch time and bring some of their own bocconcini for the kids to try. They did just that and brought along some fresh bread and Italian sausage also. It was so tasty I couldn't stop eating until I was about to burst. The kids enjoyed it but were more excited about the fact of trying Macca Ds in Italy. This was another experience, a huge restaurant with self service machines where you could order and pay like you do for some of the larger supermarkets in Perth. The kids then got their take out and ate Macca Ds on the Spanish Steps.
After lunch, we headed back to Termini and did a bit of shopping for essential items and killed some time whilst we waited for our booking at the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Upon arrival at the Roman Forum, we realised our booking was for 5.30pm and both close at 6.15. Luckily, the let us do a tour of the Colosseum when we got their and didn't need to rush both in the 45 min time slot. Again, an amazing building and so much history. The sheer size of this bundling gets me every time and photos just don't do it justice. The Roman Forum is very similar except very little remains of it so its hard to imagine what it was like exactly.
Once we had enough, we caught the metro back to Termini and walked over to our restaurant for dinner. We were served lasagna, caponata (red capsicum, celery, eggplant, zucchini, carrot, potato and onions in a minestrone type sauce) and pannacotta with berries for dessert. We walked back to the hotel and most of us will sleep like a log tonight.
Tomorrow we're getting up around 7am to get the train to Florence.
Speak to you all then,
Carl
There were people everywhere and lines for everything but again we had pre-ordered tickets so didn't have to wait too long. Inside the Vatican Museum it was like we were going through customs with all the security checks. Once through all that we proceeded up towards areas like the Gregoriano Profano Museum, Chiaramonti Museum and of course the Sistine Chapel! Some amazing artwork and plenty of photos but none in the chapel as it isn't allowed (neither is talking or any clothing that doesn't cover shoulders and knees).
From there a few kids bought souvenirs and then we proceeded into St Peter's Basilica. Another amazing feat of expansive architecture and hundreds of paintings on the ceiling. We stayed for a hour or so until our stomachs were telling us it was time for lunch. After leaving the basilica we had a quick walk around St Peter's Square and took plenty more photos. We left the Vatican and headed back to the metro to have lunch on the Spanish Steps!
Carmina's cousins had been in touch earlier on mentioning that they would like to meet up at lunch time and bring some of their own bocconcini for the kids to try. They did just that and brought along some fresh bread and Italian sausage also. It was so tasty I couldn't stop eating until I was about to burst. The kids enjoyed it but were more excited about the fact of trying Macca Ds in Italy. This was another experience, a huge restaurant with self service machines where you could order and pay like you do for some of the larger supermarkets in Perth. The kids then got their take out and ate Macca Ds on the Spanish Steps.
After lunch, we headed back to Termini and did a bit of shopping for essential items and killed some time whilst we waited for our booking at the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Upon arrival at the Roman Forum, we realised our booking was for 5.30pm and both close at 6.15. Luckily, the let us do a tour of the Colosseum when we got their and didn't need to rush both in the 45 min time slot. Again, an amazing building and so much history. The sheer size of this bundling gets me every time and photos just don't do it justice. The Roman Forum is very similar except very little remains of it so its hard to imagine what it was like exactly.
Once we had enough, we caught the metro back to Termini and walked over to our restaurant for dinner. We were served lasagna, caponata (red capsicum, celery, eggplant, zucchini, carrot, potato and onions in a minestrone type sauce) and pannacotta with berries for dessert. We walked back to the hotel and most of us will sleep like a log tonight.
Tomorrow we're getting up around 7am to get the train to Florence.
Speak to you all then,
Carl
Monday, April 22, 2013
Day Two - Pompeii
Today began in a bit of a rush with us having to be on the coach to Pompeii by 7am. Luckily the hotel opened up the breakfast selection earlier than usual so the kids could grab a quick bite to eat and then we were on our way.
The weather looked gloomy and the rain fell fairly heavily earlier on this morning but things cleared up as we got out of Rome and closer to Napoli. Pompeii is approximately 2.5 hours south of Rome but by bus it always takes a little longer. Traffic was slow in some areas and we also made a pit stop for some snack foods around 9.30am. We arrived in Pompeii around 10.30am but unfortunately our guided tour was booked in for 11.30. A few kids bought some wet weather gear as they didn't bring umbrellas ect and we sat under cover for a half hour or so. Carmina tried to sort out a tour guide for a bit earlier because the bus driver was going to pick us up at 1pm to get us back to Rome by 4.30pm.
Our tour started just after 11am and Vincenzo was our guide. He began with a brief overview of what happened in 79AD when Mt Vesuvius erupted. We then walked through the various areas of Pompeii; seeing places where Gladiators used to train, the grand auditorium where performers like Pink Floyd and U2 have done shows but previous to that singers and entertainers in the early 100s, various fountains, baths, cobble stone roads and finally to the main square or 'piazza' with some fantastic views of Mt Vesuvius and the rest of Pompeii.
The kids couldn't resist buying some souvenirs before we went and had lunch across the road at a place called "Vesuvius". We were served italian bread, hot chips, pizza margarita, sort drinks and choc chip icecream for 13 euros. The pizza was claimed to be "the best that I've ever had" by Kaitlin and indeed it was tasty.
We all took lots of photos and I've added a few below.
Tomorrow we are finishing our tour of Rome travelling to the Vatican, Castel di Saint Angelo, Spanish Steps, Roman Forum and last but not least the Colosseum.
Speak to you all 'domani' (tomorrow),
Carl
The weather looked gloomy and the rain fell fairly heavily earlier on this morning but things cleared up as we got out of Rome and closer to Napoli. Pompeii is approximately 2.5 hours south of Rome but by bus it always takes a little longer. Traffic was slow in some areas and we also made a pit stop for some snack foods around 9.30am. We arrived in Pompeii around 10.30am but unfortunately our guided tour was booked in for 11.30. A few kids bought some wet weather gear as they didn't bring umbrellas ect and we sat under cover for a half hour or so. Carmina tried to sort out a tour guide for a bit earlier because the bus driver was going to pick us up at 1pm to get us back to Rome by 4.30pm.
Our tour started just after 11am and Vincenzo was our guide. He began with a brief overview of what happened in 79AD when Mt Vesuvius erupted. We then walked through the various areas of Pompeii; seeing places where Gladiators used to train, the grand auditorium where performers like Pink Floyd and U2 have done shows but previous to that singers and entertainers in the early 100s, various fountains, baths, cobble stone roads and finally to the main square or 'piazza' with some fantastic views of Mt Vesuvius and the rest of Pompeii.
The kids couldn't resist buying some souvenirs before we went and had lunch across the road at a place called "Vesuvius". We were served italian bread, hot chips, pizza margarita, sort drinks and choc chip icecream for 13 euros. The pizza was claimed to be "the best that I've ever had" by Kaitlin and indeed it was tasty.
We all took lots of photos and I've added a few below.
Tomorrow we are finishing our tour of Rome travelling to the Vatican, Castel di Saint Angelo, Spanish Steps, Roman Forum and last but not least the Colosseum.
Speak to you all 'domani' (tomorrow),
Carl
The Appenine Mountains as we drove along the autostrada
Pompeii: the area where gladiators used to train
Our guide Vincenzo and the kids all rugged up near the cobble stone road.
One of the areas with baths and lockers.
View of Mt Vesuvius from the main square of Pompeii.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
What a productive day
Today we planned to get our SIM cards and just walk around to orientate ourselves but it ended up being a very productive one!
We left the hotel this morning on our way to Rome Termini where we were directed to a few phone shops to buy SIM cards. Upon arrival, the shop assistants asked us for our passports to verify our identities. We didn't know we needed these and they were still in the safe at the hotel! So I decided to go for a quick jog back to the hotel to grab our passports whilst Carmina and the kids did some window shopping! Anyway, long story short, I arrived back with the passports and those who wanted SIM cards got them! We continued to browse and purchase some snacks then left Rome Termini around 11.30am
From there we went and walked around the Piazza della Republica and had lunch around the corner. In true Italian style, we ate pizza and pasta to the tune of a piano accordion.
After lunch, we decided to walk to the Trevi Fountain and on our way walked past the residence of Italy's President. This building was heavily guarded with 'i carabinieri' (police) and national guards with M3s!! They even performed a changing of the guard as we went past!!
The Trevi Fountain hasn't changed much in many years but still is as beautiful (and popular) as ever! I will endeavour to upload a few photos.
We walked from there to the Pantheon and had a brief look inside. The Pantheon was built about 2000 years ago and to this day is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It was built as temple for all gods of Ancient Rome. We enjoyed a gelato each and continued on to visit Piazza Navona.
Piazza Navona is a large oval shaped area with a fountain in the middle. The Fountain of Four Rivers has four nude statues that represent each of the four continents at that time: the Nile (Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe) and Rio de la Plata (The Americas). Here we also found many interested characters including an Egyptian pharaoh standing painted gold and standing completely still. As well as a cowboy painted in a metal colour all over and a person with no head but was wearing sunglasses and a hat... You need to see the photos!
Sorry for going on so long, off to dinner soon! We are going to Pompeii tomorrow for a full day tour (7am-6pm).
We left the hotel this morning on our way to Rome Termini where we were directed to a few phone shops to buy SIM cards. Upon arrival, the shop assistants asked us for our passports to verify our identities. We didn't know we needed these and they were still in the safe at the hotel! So I decided to go for a quick jog back to the hotel to grab our passports whilst Carmina and the kids did some window shopping! Anyway, long story short, I arrived back with the passports and those who wanted SIM cards got them! We continued to browse and purchase some snacks then left Rome Termini around 11.30am
From there we went and walked around the Piazza della Republica and had lunch around the corner. In true Italian style, we ate pizza and pasta to the tune of a piano accordion.
After lunch, we decided to walk to the Trevi Fountain and on our way walked past the residence of Italy's President. This building was heavily guarded with 'i carabinieri' (police) and national guards with M3s!! They even performed a changing of the guard as we went past!!
The Trevi Fountain hasn't changed much in many years but still is as beautiful (and popular) as ever! I will endeavour to upload a few photos.
We walked from there to the Pantheon and had a brief look inside. The Pantheon was built about 2000 years ago and to this day is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It was built as temple for all gods of Ancient Rome. We enjoyed a gelato each and continued on to visit Piazza Navona.
Piazza Navona is a large oval shaped area with a fountain in the middle. The Fountain of Four Rivers has four nude statues that represent each of the four continents at that time: the Nile (Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe) and Rio de la Plata (The Americas). Here we also found many interested characters including an Egyptian pharaoh standing painted gold and standing completely still. As well as a cowboy painted in a metal colour all over and a person with no head but was wearing sunglasses and a hat... You need to see the photos!
Sorry for going on so long, off to dinner soon! We are going to Pompeii tomorrow for a full day tour (7am-6pm).
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