Our Summer Vacation - 2007
Week 2: Italy

Our first stop in Italy was the Cinque Terre, five coastal towns along the Adriatic Coast. Our home base: Riomaggiore.



Eleanor liked the boats, or as she likes to call them, "bo!"





It's a vertical town built into a cliff. This is the stoop leading up to our apartment.



This path connects the five towns.



Eleanor enjoyed the walk over to Manarola.







And although we didn't have thongs or ill-fitting speedos, we were still allowed on the beach at Monterosso.







We stopped off at Vernazza for gelato and more "bo!"





Riomaggiore is full of little gems hidden in its nooks and crannies. Like this playground high above the Mediterranean.







Or this courtyard tucked down an alley, perched over the water.







From Riomaggiore, we took a train to Florence. Actually, three trains, during a train strike. Good times. But when we arrived, we were greeted by the Duomo.







Wherever you are, it never seems to be too far out of sight.



At San Lorenzo, we checked out the market and the cloister.







The Palazzo Vecchio



Sunset over the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno.





Eleanor refined her taste in Renaissance art. As you can see, she didn't care for Ghiberti's bronze doors, referring to them as "waahhhhhh!"



She did however, appreciate the "sleeping people" of Santa Croce, pointing out her favorite letters, "O" and "P".



Santa Croce was a highlight...



The Piazza...



The "Hugs" game we started in France...



And finally, her introduction to the city's pigeon population.



In fact, we planned our daily walks around which pigeons to visit that day.



In Piazza della Santissima Annunziata...



the pigeons chased her.



While Eleanor chased pigeons, Mommy and Daddy chased Eleanor.







Eleanor got away (that's her on the lower right).



Many Italians fell in love with Eleanor on the street, but noone was warmer than our downstairs neighbors, Irene, Ivana and Gianni. Over nightcaps of Limoncello, they offered to adopt Eleanor, and were gracious enough to throw in annual visiting rights as part of the deal.



But sadly, we had to say not only goodnight, but goodbye. It was an amazing trip, and hopefully we can go back again soon.



. . . . .

Here are a few more shots from France.