Vacation Post #2 - Italy

After debarking from the ferry (debarking the ferry?) on June 20th we entered the small city of Brindisi by bus and located our gorgeous B&B where we deposited our bags. We spent an afternoon trying to deal with confusing bus boarding directions (Brindisi tourism department, while VERY well meaning, didn't have the most fluent English speakers as employees) and I was about ready to throw in the towel, but Lat was very persistent and we managed to make it to the SEA!

Where we observed banana hammocks and ridiculous jetskiers (in photo above) and played BOGGLE!

The next day, Sunday the 21st, we boarded a train to take us to our Roman apartment. It was HUGE and very pleasant, with his and hers bedrooms and a large living room. Lat played some mind games (and electrical games) with the washing machine, but other than that we really enjoyed our accommodations. 

We took a mammoth walk the next day to take in the sights, starting with, of course, some Roman walls (and pretty flowers and clouds, you would think I had never seen clouds before) 

The Colosseum (I know I should have made it so there was sunlight on the building but otherwise I like the picture. Colosseum on the right, obvs) and more clouds...

The Pantheon - I had been there but never been inside and overall was underwhelmed by the decor but the round hole in the top is insanely cool. 

And Piazza Navona, where I was very excited by the bird on this guy's head...

The next day, Tuesday the 23rd, we headed to the Vatican (early!) and climbed all the stairs to the top of St. Peter's Basilica for this view: (bugs me now that I did not center myself - or the camera?!? we were marveling at how far the symmetry goes.)

And then down to look back up at where we had been standing:

And then inside where we combined Lat's love of marble (or whatever stone this is?!?!) with Ellen's love of taking feet-standing-places pictures: 

And (gee this is a lot of 'and') admired the baldacchino (and the dudes cleaning it: "What did you do today honey?" "Well I got into my safety harness and was lifted to the top of the 98 foot baldacchino to do a little light dusting.")

It looks like wood but according to Wikipedia is actually bronze.

We spent our afternoon eating all-you-can-eat sushi and (hilariously) making the rounds of Italian post offices and Mailboxes Etc.

The next day, the 24th, we began what I think Lat would call the longest bus ride of his life... with short old wavy haired driver and his assistant (though this was much debated) the taller younger short haired driver (goodness it would have been simpler to ask their names!) We endured at least one if not more life-and-death our-bus-driver-thinks-he's-in-a-race moments and arrived in FRANCE at 5am Thursday the 25th. Lyon doesn't have a lot going on at 5am.... but that is for the next post.