The World Famous Big Ben in London.
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The World Famous Big Ben in London.
Enjoy some of our latest videos! A little view of Italy, Canada and a look at the Egyptian Museum.
Hi everyone! I know it’s been a while and life always gets in the way but we will be paying more attention to the website and blog soon. In the meantime here are a few of our recent videos.
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As we waved goodbye to Venice from our “vaporetto”, we wondered if we would ever see her magical skyline again. For now, we were on to the next adventure and would soon arrive in the city of Pisa to visit another of Italy’s extraordinary landmarks!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a campanile located in Campo dei Miracoli, “The Field of Miracles”. It’s one of several bell towers in Pisa but is the most famous due to its tilt. From the coach, we only had a short distance to walk before reaching the field and as we got closer, we were suddenly stunned by what lay before us. Not only was the tower magnificent, but the cathedral, baptistery, and cemetery made for an astonishing picture of Romanesque architecture. It was already quite hot and we sought shade while Ruth introduced us to our local guide Roberto, who enthusiastically shared his knowledge about the tower and the beautiful city of Pisa. Campo dei Miracoli truly was miraculous and if we’re fortunate enough to ever visit here again, we will most definitely spend more time exploring Pisa!
Back on the coach, we relaxed while Domenico cruised on to Florence. We arrived at the ultra-modern Hotel Vittoria by mid-afternoon and had just enough time to freshen up before we were off again to Ristorante Montebuoni, nestled in the Tuscan hills. Our host for the evening, Chef Emelio, greeted us like we were family and we felt privileged to learn our group would have the entire restaurant to ourselves! Chef Emelio demonstrated how to make his spinach risotto from scratch while we shared wine, fresh bread, and good cheer. In addition to the risotto, a veritable feast of meats, pasta, and Italian desserts was served, and Chef Emelio even prepared a special veggie plate for me!
On the way back to the hotel, we sang slightly buzzed versions of the Dean Martin songs playing on the coach and laughed out loud with our travel companions. A perfect end to another perfect day on the Road to Rome!
After a whirlwind first day in Venice, we spent the next morning relaxing and shopping along the waterfront. St Mark’s Square was fairly empty and we were able to snap a few good pics without a ton of tourists in them.
Our first adventure of the day began at 11 a.m., when we boarded a private water taxi to the island of Murano for a glass blowing demonstration at B.F. Signoretti glass factory. A master glass blower took a glob of molten glass and transformed it into a unicorn before our eyes. We then toured parts of the factory and had an opportunity to purchase beautiful, one of a kind pieces to bring home with us.
We returned briefly to our hotel to freshen up, then rejoined our new friends for a wonderful afternoon excursion to the picturesque island of Burano. There, we had a fabulous multi course lunch at the Trattoria da Romano. The wait staff pampered us with impeccable service, passing around dishes of Risotto, fresh seafood, pasta, and salad. Ruth also arranged for plenty of vegan options, and we completed our meal with a shot (or two!) of delicious Amaretto.
There was plenty of time for exploring after lunch, and we strolled lazily along the water, taking pictures of Burano’s famous candy colored houses. Generations ago, the fisherman of Burano painted all the houses bright colors so they could identify which was theirs through the fog after returning home from a busy day of fishing (and drinking). Burano is also known for its handmade lace and there were several local artisans displaying their unique pieces for sale. After a bit more shipping, we returned to the water to wait for our taxi.
Once back at the hotel, we climbed to the roof top and silently watched as the sun covered the lagoon with a dazzling display of light before disappearing out of sight. Returning to the Bar Ristorante Bucintoro for a late dinner, we enjoyed authentic Italian pizza, wine and gelato. We now understood why Venice was referred to as “La Serenissima”.
Join us on day 10 as we visit one of the most iconic landmarks in the world and shave a few more miles off the Road to Rome!
