tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80288847160673377152024-03-21T10:24:34.416-07:00Italy SchmittalyAli Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-17332252568830344572011-06-03T17:30:00.000-07:002011-06-03T17:30:00.332-07:00Montepulciano.<div style="text-align: center;">Hi friends and family,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mom and I made it safely home to the states after, again, many long hours of travel. I thought I would do one last post to sum up the last stop of our journey... Montepulciano in the rolling hills of Tuscany.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our arrival to Montepulciano was quite interesting. We took a bus from Florence, which of course dropped us off at the bus station in Montepulciano. We then took a smaller bus to the main plaza in town. From there, we were sure we could grab a bite to eat before having someone call us one of the two taxis in town to take us to our farm house just a few miles outside of town. We hadn't eaten since breakfast, and it was around 5:00 at that point, so we were hungry gals, to say the least! However, this little town apparently takes siesta time VERY seriously, and no restaurants were open. On top of that, none of the shops in that area would call us a taxi, and we were sure if we tried calling ourselves it would be a hot mess of language barriers. SO, a very nice lady that happened to speak both English and Italian overheard our frazzledness, and offered to help us. At the same time, one of the two town taxis pulled up into the plaza (ptl!) and she helped us negotiate a ride to the farm house. We never got a bite to eat though, and our farm house only served breakfast. Awesome! When we arrived at the farm house, Cinzia (the farm B&B owner) just so happened to be taking a trip into town to the grocery store, so she graciously allowed us to go along with her (we paid her a pretty penny), and we bought groceries for the evening and the next day. Our plan to spend the day in the town of Montepulciano crumbled when we realized how difficult it was to get back and forth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So instead, we relaxed all day... we read, we laid by the pool, we swam a little, and this was our view.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">That town on the top of the hill is Montepulciano. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">After our grocery shopping trip, Cinzia took us to her brother-in-law's pecorino cheese farm, where they make fresh and <i>delicious</i> pecorino cheese.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Pretty flowers at the pecorino cheese farm. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Our little room with the most uncomfortable bed known to man. I'm surprised I didn't end up with bruised bones from the springs. I ended up putting towels down underneath me to try and soften the blow. However, our view was so worth it!!</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">View from our window. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Our breakfast served in the morning.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Scary kitty. I literally spent 5 minutes trying to shoo this cat away and he ended up chasing me back into our room where I stood for 5 minutes trying to figure out how to get around him once I got outside. He was either going to bite me or scratch me, I was sure of it.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">My view all day while relaxing by the pool. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">And mom spent the afternoon saving bugs from drowning. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Shady spot to cool off. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">The front of the farm house. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I loved Tuscany... the rolling hills were breathtaking. I could have stared out into them all day. Oh, well, I guess I did! It was the perfect end to our busy, on-the-go trip. We both needed that relaxing day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-16148183351602128132011-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:002011-05-28T12:00:01.448-07:00Florence.<div style="text-align: center;">Hi all.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our travels from the Cinque Terre were pretty smooth, aside from the fact that we didn't want to leave... everything was so beautiful there! On our last day, I enjoyed sitting on a bench watching a little local boy play in the street. He had the curliest mop top you've ever seen, and he had a long piece of string that he was cutting into littler pieces one by one and dropping them down into the stream below the city that runs out into the sea. He was so dang cute, I probably could have watched him all afternoon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We arrived in Florence on Thursday afternoon. We spent our train ride from La Spezia to Florence talking to a retired New Zealand couple. They were traveling all over Europe for 2 months together... Ry... I hope we get to do that together some day! What a treat that would be.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our B&B in Florence is adorable, as is the owner, who runs it along with her mom. Upon our arrival at our B&B, we already knew Florence was much different from Rome... they actually have neighborhoods where there are separate houses and "gardens" as they call them... backyards. We have a nice big room with seprte beds this time. Mom treated me with the big one, so I feel like a queen with my giant headboard! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The kitchen is adorable as well... picturesque country B&B style with hot tea and honey, or iced tea for us to enjoy whenever we'd like. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent our first evening at San Miniato church, listening to the monks do chants. Mom had wanted to do that all along, so I was glad we were able to experience that, even though it wasn't exactly what either of us were expecing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We also found our way to the center, and walked along the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Lots of expensive jewelry! That's another big difference I've noticed between Rome and Florence... Florence is definitely full of stylish people. I love it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our second day in Florence we saw the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia... The David of course was my favorite part... pictures do <i>not</i> do it justice. It was pretty incredible to see it in person. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We've had our fair share of gelato here, as well! And of course we've shopped... love the leather here. I may or may not have already purchased 3 leather pieces... whoops... sorry Ry!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We leave tomorrow morning for our last stop... Tuscany.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Outside Uffizi Gallery. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> The kitchen in our B&B.</div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">My bed where I feel like a queen! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">San Miniato Church, where we heard the monks chant. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">View of Florence from San Miniato Church. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81STYrh-A6jD1HkSq_y4qewuzzxIGrwOJs5U9COd80HAXP8xjYlD4gzq0RvNPaQdmtg-ExTmVGSib8hkgaWQI7Yzq3L4ZQdcO9PG-t4nwTsEvY29AGoNG7xHvnYPriGYr94SN8klzAV5h/s1600/Immagine+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81STYrh-A6jD1HkSq_y4qewuzzxIGrwOJs5U9COd80HAXP8xjYlD4gzq0RvNPaQdmtg-ExTmVGSib8hkgaWQI7Yzq3L4ZQdcO9PG-t4nwTsEvY29AGoNG7xHvnYPriGYr94SN8klzAV5h/s640/Immagine+004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Jamie, aren't you in love with benches too? </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Love the streets. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Ponte Vecchio bridge. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKe3v8d4r4gGhE0nMZKny21dvmT-z3yD8MqshTO1I_8exbeEqsWGAwdg3MH7Xsc9MLgZ3kSqEafwLubZ8xEbpah5Sg9mIXn1WaYUEEik3wndkd4d4VGhyphenhyphenBp9eUgP9yI1uLi0qRcnnHUPB/s1600/Immagine+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKe3v8d4r4gGhE0nMZKny21dvmT-z3yD8MqshTO1I_8exbeEqsWGAwdg3MH7Xsc9MLgZ3kSqEafwLubZ8xEbpah5Sg9mIXn1WaYUEEik3wndkd4d4VGhyphenhyphenBp9eUgP9yI1uLi0qRcnnHUPB/s640/Immagine+007.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> View from Ponte Vecchio bridge.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">At their grocery stores, you have to weigh your own produce. That was interesting for mom and I to figure out! Thankfully they had pictures of each fruit or veggie. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Ry, this one is for you my love! </div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ciao friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-42344095705845132852011-05-27T07:58:00.000-07:002011-05-27T07:58:55.447-07:00Cinque Terre.<div style="text-align: center;">First things first, I LOVE THIS PLACE!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I only have time for a short post, so I wanted to share a few pictures with you. The Cinque Terre is amazing, so quaint, so beautiful, so picturesque, so fairy tale. We spent a couple of full days here, and I'm so glad we did.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view from our room.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our town - Manarola. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BZmVjsgqOQspQRZBbTQwLcSbSy4jyKEIVy3fW5DlZGoYr2xrII91bdUegjFM2Ofry8M88KerwqvlMmFhGabRM_9RLP3NSd0DhAUXyoFHGkBklmaGlh4ls1qbrOvEkILGhYCj3sxwfQYJ/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BZmVjsgqOQspQRZBbTQwLcSbSy4jyKEIVy3fW5DlZGoYr2xrII91bdUegjFM2Ofry8M88KerwqvlMmFhGabRM_9RLP3NSd0DhAUXyoFHGkBklmaGlh4ls1qbrOvEkILGhYCj3sxwfQYJ/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+127.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Riomaggiore.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYPfM6Rdm1hcduTY5YXMrgA1chbasiiX0FMl0-4MODn7tBSDrWBTWwSeXOve5xSBU0_-Lurv5hudyKpdJ5erDEALrUvn2CS5hHP5PlNfjL1LUrn0vck8PPtdAm-0x73VlEeBlSH8hQpcq5/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYPfM6Rdm1hcduTY5YXMrgA1chbasiiX0FMl0-4MODn7tBSDrWBTWwSeXOve5xSBU0_-Lurv5hudyKpdJ5erDEALrUvn2CS5hHP5PlNfjL1LUrn0vck8PPtdAm-0x73VlEeBlSH8hQpcq5/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+128.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They have slurpee straws!</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_uj3Fjl_hd6yrDZWzv0l3w46fk5f0W1l1yWUNRfx_hKgrIg5UJAXC0J69I-mVIqOWT7_KBTae1GURXcjubcDLRxZ5L9947WbsnuZjSdrLbzIi4UH0qVNnjqQtmCxuDNSd6zpVncXoJNl/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_uj3Fjl_hd6yrDZWzv0l3w46fk5f0W1l1yWUNRfx_hKgrIg5UJAXC0J69I-mVIqOWT7_KBTae1GURXcjubcDLRxZ5L9947WbsnuZjSdrLbzIi4UH0qVNnjqQtmCxuDNSd6zpVncXoJNl/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+129.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Their version of a frappuccino. Better than nothing I guess :) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">On one of our hikes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> View from our boat ride.. Monterosso.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOE5XlY2Xb62IMXEsFk1kEHDWU2vPS00ie-0YQk4855ZCV1GpTPEdDchbCKd-LPRdXmowKcFu32BgeuqnsMHNzwkrTtpByQ2rka07tTQfEiDEOj-SdCWVuUrC7uTsoWexXtmwq5J6H5ojL/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOE5XlY2Xb62IMXEsFk1kEHDWU2vPS00ie-0YQk4855ZCV1GpTPEdDchbCKd-LPRdXmowKcFu32BgeuqnsMHNzwkrTtpByQ2rka07tTQfEiDEOj-SdCWVuUrC7uTsoWexXtmwq5J6H5ojL/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+133.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">View from our hike from Monterosso to Vernazza. It was an intense hike, but so worth it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhid6MuG926-v-yPtK_r-BrNPbkJoxK7tVeyuzZF8VMrf6X-QXasM0ZkDarxOfp_diEzNQybpeP1pQ7XXXMd7nSV2sRp1TVvNOObAPZ0-LE6VPGgeEw1-I2HtLskOhZQkK3BjauQDTsKeP5/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhid6MuG926-v-yPtK_r-BrNPbkJoxK7tVeyuzZF8VMrf6X-QXasM0ZkDarxOfp_diEzNQybpeP1pQ7XXXMd7nSV2sRp1TVvNOObAPZ0-LE6VPGgeEw1-I2HtLskOhZQkK3BjauQDTsKeP5/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+134.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ciao.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-62235527867287586462011-05-25T07:05:00.000-07:002011-05-25T07:05:57.622-07:00still in Rome.<div style="text-align: center;">We had quite another busy day for our last day in Rome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">We started out at the weekly flea market in Trestevere... wow. Blocks and blocks and blocks of tables and tables and tables just FULL of stuff to buy. Some of it similar to everything else, some of it unique. I bought a few things, of course. This was the place to go to purchase cheap goodies!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then we walked across the city to see the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish steps. It was quite the walk, but all of it well worth it, of course. We flipped a coin over our backs into Trevi Fountain, and walked up and down the Spanish steps ... felt the burn for sure! We are getting great exercise here, which I love.<br />
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We spent our last night in Rome walking through the streets of our little town, people watching and enjoying the sounds of laughter and music. We got lost again, of course. I don't think we ever learned how to get our way back exactly... we always ended up just finding our way!<br />
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Pantheon.<br />
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Throwing a coin into Trevi Fountain. This calls for serious concentration, I guess. I hope my wish comes true!!<br />
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More of Trevi Fountain. Can you believe these pieces of work <i>actually</i> exist places?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHms7OQD3fX4mvg0UQF1dHYQKmAPn1TXQhCjFfV8nwzLr8gX6qGJE_QFO8z_qik18tZS7njDe9VmrnkGZk5Z1WHX5WFQcXicfLrV97IuOk0Y88aQOjbZg9E4Mqkus1Az6R0IdCEh5Pt8Y/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHms7OQD3fX4mvg0UQF1dHYQKmAPn1TXQhCjFfV8nwzLr8gX6qGJE_QFO8z_qik18tZS7njDe9VmrnkGZk5Z1WHX5WFQcXicfLrV97IuOk0Y88aQOjbZg9E4Mqkus1Az6R0IdCEh5Pt8Y/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+135.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Purple man shorts. Had to do it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdOghNJ_oMxJo4z1Q5VCCKRIP1E6l8DfSlSu7M5QULapCzRS3vR-0IV-B749sxdJhnldofScEXXdRtmSHbRN2MUTujYrit8xY66o0JlGIn9DK5wVprvG_fwwTnySX3PQeZyd7JKLygHIY/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdOghNJ_oMxJo4z1Q5VCCKRIP1E6l8DfSlSu7M5QULapCzRS3vR-0IV-B749sxdJhnldofScEXXdRtmSHbRN2MUTujYrit8xY66o0JlGIn9DK5wVprvG_fwwTnySX3PQeZyd7JKLygHIY/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+122.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Pretty scenery.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnShl7zLNbg8DKqiygzi7Dec-hq15P1q2IowC5RnU5rEytXXvXWx01Wht8xRUpbB70aUgn0lznSv2T9rjh2ERFkhnslSksqlc3oF0BWJooHN85NfcFZZrZWOKb17rT03rt4tVMYIIiMU3x/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnShl7zLNbg8DKqiygzi7Dec-hq15P1q2IowC5RnU5rEytXXvXWx01Wht8xRUpbB70aUgn0lznSv2T9rjh2ERFkhnslSksqlc3oF0BWJooHN85NfcFZZrZWOKb17rT03rt4tVMYIIiMU3x/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+119.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I love bikes. <br />
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And more miniature cars.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmSPtHLr2dlgKNZgCZswEpkFArLM40vrhan4eTRHNVc9msJHyDnyWHmDpQriGwPmpHTsps1Lse8ooSTcFcBN3KM-b-GezhIwJccd1LulqiHopS7AxBYkuVBYMCUb1i4vsuiXPiynSmsT7/s1600/Bronwyns+Pictures+123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmSPtHLr2dlgKNZgCZswEpkFArLM40vrhan4eTRHNVc9msJHyDnyWHmDpQriGwPmpHTsps1Lse8ooSTcFcBN3KM-b-GezhIwJccd1LulqiHopS7AxBYkuVBYMCUb1i4vsuiXPiynSmsT7/s640/Bronwyns+Pictures+123.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
That is all I have time for friends. It's Cinque Terre next!<br />
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Ciao!</div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-43440791554154982652011-05-21T13:02:00.000-07:002011-05-21T13:02:17.739-07:00we made it.<div style="text-align: center;">Hi friends and family... mom and I made it. And our travels were decently adventurous.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When I met mom in Portland, it had been so long since we sat down to just chat, we actually lost track of time, and they almost gave my seat away because I checked in later than they liked ... whoops! That would have been horrible! Lesson learned on that one, I guess. Jeez laweez. We also almost missed our connection from London to Rome due to a late take off in Rome, so we were the typical travelers running through the airport with all of our luggage to make our flight. BUT, we made it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nonetheless, after more than 20 hours of travel on very little sleep, we made it to our adorable little B&B in Rome. It's in the town of Trastevere. The owner of the B&B, Georgio, is probably my age. He and his grandfather bought this portion of the building and reconstructed everything just the two of them... they did a fabulous job. It's clean, with a comfortable bed, our own bathroom and shower, and they even provide you with a blow dryer... holler!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have done quite a few things in our two full days in Rome so far. We have visited the Colosseum, Capitol Hill, the forum, Vatican City (we did a a tour for this one, so glad we did because we were able to skip the uncomfortably long line), a nice little hike to the top of Trastevere with beautiful views of Rome, and lots of walking around the little Roman streets. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The little area of Trastevere is everything you would imagine a "little" Roman neighborhood to look like... cobble stone streets, beautiful flower pots hanging from windows everywhere, colorful shutters on every building, and lots and lots of good little eateries.<br />
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Anyhoo, here are a few photos from our adventures so far.<br />
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My first copa de vino (is that cup of wine in Italian? I speak Spanish and English only friends, but it sounds right, and it makes me feel cool).<br />
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Mom's first piece of pizza.. it's amazing here, nothing like home.<br />
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Peaceful street.. i love the lighting in this photo.<br />
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Fruits, veggies, and cheese from the morning market right outside our B&B.<br />
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I DIE over all the little cars here. There are seriously cars parked in every little space imaginable. Mom and I keep wondering how people get out of their spaces, because people are parked so closely to one another. Which explains why most people drive these tinser ones.<br />
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Their drinking fountains are sweet. You plug the water flowing down with your finger and it pops out of the top hole so you can drink from it. Gorgeous model for this drinking fountain shot, no?<br />
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At the Colosseum.<br />
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Our first gelato. This has probably been my favorite part so far... the gelato. Is that bad? That I like ice cream more than Vatican City? Yikes.<br />
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My first cup of coffee on the go... tooooo strong for me. I put like three packs of sugar in that little thing.<br />
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Our picnic dinner on our evening walk... yummies from the morning market.<br />
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I love doors.<br />
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OMG friends, I totally was wishing I could see a wedding going on while on this trip. And on our evening walk to see the views of Rome tonight, I saw TWO wedding photo shoots going on... can you believe it? So so awesome.<br />
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Signing off for now.. hopefully I will be able to add more later. <br />
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We head to Cinque Terre on Monday!<br />
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Love Ali.</div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028884716067337715.post-12150275268074483312011-05-13T16:31:00.000-07:002011-05-13T16:31:31.966-07:00welcome - i'm going to italy.<div style="text-align: center;">So I created this blog, then Blogger crashed, so my entire blog disappeared. What gives??</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Have no fear though, I did another quick throw-together, and here we are again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My first post went something like this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm going to Italy with my mom. Just mom and I. The deal is, I have older sisters. For high school graduation, yes, you heard me right,<i> high school</i> graduation, her gift to us was to take each of us anywhere in the world we wanted to go. SCORE, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, after I graduated from high school, I went on a senior trip with two of my best friends to Hawaii.. not bad.. not bad at all. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then right after that summer, I started school at the University of Oregon (go ducks). While I was in school, each summer I was either studying abroad, working, or taking summer school to squeeze my 2 majors into 4 years. I was NOT about to have any of that 5th year stuff.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then right after I graduated from college, I got married. And apparently after you get married, you are too busy to go on vacations out of the country, or something like that.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">SO, I decided enough is enough, it was time for mom and I to go. And let's be honest, mom isn't getting any younger (let's hope she doesn't read this!!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For our two weeks... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We are starting in Rome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then heading to the Cinque Terre.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then over to Florence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then to a bed and breakfast in the rolling hills of Tuscany.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Does that not sound amazing? I KNOW. I can't wait.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So my hope is to be able to post pictures and little blurbs of our adventures to this blog so you'll get a taste of what we're up to. It's also going to be my little journal (depending on how many computers I can get my hands on throughout our journey). I'm a much better slash faster typer than I am writer, so I can get more of my thoughts out this way.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Man, I am such a product of the 21st century. </div>Ali Beth Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12861757741880239202noreply@blogger.com0