Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle!

It's been a busy first week here, but Adam's arrival also brought the beginning of the UCI Road World Championships in Florence!

There have been time trials, team, men's, and women's competitions throughout the week.  Florentines have been afraid that it would bring the city to a standstill, but according to some we talked to it has not been as bad as they expected.

Here's a shot of the racecourse with the Duomo and Baptistry, as well as one of the "DEVIAZONE" detour signs that have sprouted up all over Florence:

Here they come, rounding the Baptistry!

And there they go past the Duomo!

Here's a shot from "on high," when we climbed the stairs to the top of the Duomo:

Here's a shot of the Women's Individual as they rounded a corner by the Plazza Strozzi:

And here's a small, stop-motion video of what the Men's Individual race looked like, rain and all!

It makes me wish I had a bicycle here in Florence!

If you haven't seen it, also check out our trip to Cinque Terra at the end of September.

Sei Terre (Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso, Riomaggiore and Volastra)

Last weekend we went to Cinque Terre, a region northeast of Florence where there are five main towns nestled along a rocky coastline.  Three days of sea air, one amazing view after another, trails to hike and rocks to climb, seafood to eat and alleyways to explore.

We arrived in Manarola on Saturday:

and started to walk around the town and hillside.  The town clings to the hillside -- they have built on any ridge where they can!

Our first day we hiked uphill from Manarola to Volastra and back.  Climbing down the trail from Volastra to Manarola we were surrounded by terraces of grape vineyards and olive trees.  Joel counted 1400 steps down, but likely missed a few.

Here's a view of Manarola (to the left) in panaroma, from a seaside trail:

Tired but invigorated from our trek, we arrived back in Manarola...

And found our way to Trattoria dal Billy, with great seafood and a wonderful view of the setting sun.

On our second day we took the 5 minute train ride to nearby Corniglia for a quick breakfast and tour of the town:

And then walked from Corniglia to Vernazza (1.5 hours, 3.4 KM of up-and-down stairs)

But the stairs were worth it, since each town has its own character with breathtaking views and interesting scenery.

Downtown Vernazza, with seafood for lunch!

We dipped our toes in the Mediterranean...

and then decided to go back to Manarola and get wetter.

Even though it's high on a hillside, you can always throw yourself off a rock in the harbor:

A "super cable chain" thing to lower boats in the water...

This is a view of the trail from Manarola to Corniglia that is still closed since the devastating landslides in the Fall of 2011.

Day three saw a quick stop in  Riomaggiore on the way back to Florence for Laura's 5:00 class.

Joel enjoyed running on the breakwater that surrounds the harbor.  In Riomaggiore we also saw one of the main products of the region -- grapes!

All in all, a great time on the "Italian Riveria".  Ciao!

Working my way back to you, babe...

Guess where I'm going?

First stop -- Munich!

And next:  Florence!

See y'all soon!  Much love to all.

Weekend in Rome

Our first trip overnight: 2 days and nights in Rome

While the Friday morning alarm went off in the dark, the quick hour and half train ride, landed us in Rome.  Next was figuring out how to transfer from train to subway (after waiting in line for tickets, as the machine only took euro coin -we didn't have 6) the A line to Ottaviano -- the stop for the Vatican.  But more important for us, the stop near my PC colleague Aurelie who graciously hosted us for the weekend.  Climbing 55 steps (another 3rd floor walk-up) Aurelie welcomed us with breakfast.

This year Aurelie is the faculty director for the PC theology study abroad program, so similar to us arrived in Rome about 3 weeks ago (although she is staying for the year).  

By eleven we were on our way to explore the sites of Rome starting with Vatican and St. Peters,  on to the Castel Sant' Angelo and the Bridge of Angels,  across the Tiber River to Piazza Navona, lunch, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain before we head back passed several other churches, piazzas and quaint streets.   All along Aurelie shared her knowledge of Rome's history: political and religious.

St. Peter's Square with Aurelie

St. Peters.  The number of visitors per week has doubled since Pope Francis was named Pope, from here in March.

Well this used to be the Papal residence; Pope Francis, delivers his Wednesday audience from the second window from the right on the next to top floor of this building in the Vatican.

Learning about the Castle and Bridge of Angels, which marks the end of the Black Plague. The statue on the top is of St. Michael putting his sword back in his sheath marking the end of the plague.
A timely visit with Joel's  first essay in AP European History, due Tuesday, on the Black Plague!

Pantheon

                                                                          The Pantheon ceiling oculus and the floor drain below for when it rains.

                                                               

Trevi Fountain... we are sure to be back in Rome

Could this cat at Piazza Banco di Saint Spirito be Julius Caesar?
Legend has it the Julius has come back as a cat here in Rome where he was killed by Brutus.

We are not going to find our new Italian fashions in this shop, but the Pope did.

Friday night we enjoyed pizza at a local trattoria in Prati with Aurelie and another PC professor and friend, Sandra, who was in Rome on her sabbatical doing some research and attending a conference.

Saturday brought travel back in history to the middle ages and the early archeological finds of the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum.

Temple of Saturn

Central area of the Roman Forum--The House of Vestals

Years of different buildings all evidence today-early Rome to Machiavelli

The remains of the enormous Basilica of Maxentius, a building that made J and K seem very small in stature.

Fresh water from the Rome aqueduct

A view from Palatine Hill to the Colosseum

A little Christianity in the midst of the Collosseum

Dinner at Krugh, a wonderful spot we found a few blocks from the Vatican.

Our choice of fish: Sea Bass, Red Snapper, Bream, Branzino

Our choice: Red Snapper 

Back to Aurelie's apartment for a good night sleep and we were off on the morning train to Florence.



We quickly dropped the backpacks at our apartment and a brisk 3/4 kilometer walk to the Florence soccer stadium for the afternoon match between the Fiorentina and  the Cagliari Calcuio - from Sardinia.

Been awhile since I have been at a game rooting for the purple team!  Go Wildcats, no I mean Go Fiorentina!

The game ended in a tie... the Fiorentina fans were quite frustrated by the final Cagliari goal in the last two minutes of the game.

Needless to say, after our walk back to the apartment, we all crashed.   A full, but fantastic weekend adventure in Italy.