Another adventure with the usual crew... myself, George and Nancy Kierspe, John and Kathy Wolfe, and new friends from our
trip to Mont Blanc from a couple of years back... the welcome addition of Robert and Janet Wenzel!
|
We flew from Pittsburgh (the Wolfes) and Florida (the rest of us) to Atlanta, and then went to Milan. We took a train from there to our first destination, Venice. And when the sign in Venice says "taxi", they mean a boat, of course! |
We had a great hotel, the Metropole. It was a sort of mini-museum all by itself, since the owners had collected a lot of antiques over the years... |
We were also within a couple minutes walk of this famous piazza, with it's belltower. You can go to the top for some great views of the city |
Views from the top of the belltower (no climbing necessary... they've installed an elevator!). The middle shot shows the tremendous statuary on the top of the Basilica. They almost crowd each other. |
This is another small island close by, famous for it's glassware. You can buy it on the main island, but if you go out there, you can watch them at work. |
An old church (the tower above) had a floor covered with mosaics, hundreds of years old. The tiling in the center shot again shows the Venetian style of mixing marble of every color into one pattern. |
Gondolas | Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute |
Under Construction: Here's one canal section that's been drained so workmen can do their thing |
Lots of fresh fish available in the outdoor markets | Some bridge where rival gangs traditionally fought, back in the 1700's or so |
|
EXPOSED!This website has uncovered shocking evidence that George and Nancy Kierspe have NEVER CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN IN THEIR LIVES!! They have manufactured a web of deceit for years, relying on trick photography and bribes to make people THINK they are accomplished trekkers. But here we have clear photographic evidence of their shenanigans! Not only have they taken chair lifts to surmount all of their supposed "conquests", but they actually take them down as well! Although they appear to be waving merrily in the photos, they are, in fact, beckoning to their henchmen to confiscate my film before their vile trickery could be exposed! This correspondent narrowly escaped with his life! |
Hiking took us through many small villages, and to the tops of several peaks, on most of which there are ski facilities for the wintertime. |
The Capitoline, designed by Michaelangelo, is the seat of Rome's government, and also houses the world's oldest public museum, founded in 1471 by Pope Sixtus IV. The ancient Forum is an excavation site just behind the Capitoline. |
Constantine's Arch (first, second photos). |
This is the fountain from the movie, "Three Coins in the Fountain" |
This foot and head, and some other pieces, are all that remain of a colossal statue of Constantine. From these fragments, you can imagine how big the original was! |
Well, if I were to go to church in Rome, this would be a pretty cool one to attend. It seems to have a Death theme about it. |