Our Favorite Things About Italy

m
Yesterday morning we returned from a 10-day excursion through several Italian cities. We have fresh memories, now, of Rome, Florence, and Venice, and we also visited the tiny republic of San Marino. Keith and Allyson made a quick trip to Pisa, but there isn't much to see, there, except for the leaning tower. Here are a few of our favorite memories . . .
m
The girls pose outside the Passo delle Streghe, in San Marino.m

Allyson says that she was particularly fond of the Roman Colosseum and the Forum. We had a beautiful day there, and we were amazed by the vast collection of spectacular ruins. She was also enamored with the trees, and desperately wanted to take one home with her! Aside from the Forum, she really enjoyed the castles of San Marino -- they sit on high, jagged cliffs, and they are surrounded with an exceptional maze of trails and carved stairways. They also have a wide selection of deadly weapons in the gift shops . . .
m
Bring on the lions: the Huey sisters prepare to visit the Colosseum.m
m
Caroline isn't sure about her absolute favorite thing. Among the cities, however, she is certain that she had the most fun in Venice. As she explains: Venice was best because we didn't visit any boring museums. We went to see a glass-blowing demonstration, we walked through the streets, we rode boats, we shopped, and . . . there were lots of opportunities to take pictures! The city is an engineering wonder, and is amazingly photogenic.
m
Annika says that she liked Michelangelo's statue of David (in Florence), but she doesn't know how to explain her impressions. Like Caroline, she also speaks highly of Venice -- in fact, she was very excited about going there, even before we left Michigan. She wanted, above all else, to take a gondola ride through the canals, and her wish was fulfilled -- meanwhile, her affection for the city was scarcely dampened by the fact that she was able to share it with Jacque Ray, her new friend (and the Cutbirths' granddaughter).
m
The ceiling above our seats, in St. Peter's.m
m
Barbara hates to choose one single "favorite," but she doesn't hesitate to say that she was most impressed with the statue of David. She had already been anxious to see it, because she has been reading The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. But -- when she entered the room, she was amazed to see how massive it (the statue) actually is: it stands 17 feet tall and it sits on a platform, towering over the crowd! She spent a lot of time in that room, and would gladly go back today, if she could.
m

Happy to be in Venice: Keith and Barbara pause on one of the bridges.

m

Keith loved Venice, but if he is forced to identify a favorite moment, he would have to choose the Sunday mass at St. Peter's Basilica. It was lengthy, to be sure, but they had an amazing choir and they even had a scripture reading in English, from Romans chapter 8. Aside from everything else, they have Michelangelo's Pieta in the back corner (next to the tract rack), and they have steps (545 of them) that take you to the top of the dome! It is an overwhelming place to be, especially for a church historian.

m

This blog doesn't really do justice to the things that we saw, but it will hopefully give you a taste. We found Italy to be a beautiful and inspiring place -- one of the highlights in our semester so far!

m