Italy!

So........

The highlight of 2015 was my first and perhaps last trip out of the country if you don't count Mexico which is attached so I'm not counting!  I also have half hispanic grandchildren so I feel that Mexico is my country too.

I went as a tag a long......or as I sometimes call it, a beg a long.   Sister Cathy and her friend, Melanie were planning a trip to Italy and I whined enough that I got to go too.  It was the trip of a life time and I hope I can do the trip justice with my story, but I doubt I will because there aren't enough words.  At least I want to have the memories for later when I'm old!

We started our flight on Halloween and went winging our way across many, many miles to land in Milan on November 1st.  To say it was a long flight would be an understatement......and I say that, knowing many of you have flown many more miles, but I'm a wimp.  When we arrived, the advice was to stay awake all day to adjust to the time difference.  So we did......getting settled into our hotel rooms, freshing up and then getting a taxi to this Cathedral which was a must see when in Milan.  Amazing.....that is the word that first came to mind.....amazing.

This was a giant square with what seemed like thousands of people everywhere.  I had no idea, being the fashion icon that I am, that Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world.....I guess it's the world.  

I thought it was rather sad that with all the beauty surrounding us this is what most people were doing.....looking down at their phones.

Later that night, our tour group met together, got our information about the next day, boarded our bus and went to eat.  I was so hungry and guess what???  I didn't like anything we were served except the bread, cheese and dessert.  I did like the wine.  So even though I was surprised at how fresh we looked, at least three of us at this table were more than ready for bed.

In Italy, on a certain date, when it is supposed to be winter, the air conditioners won't come on.....guess what?  You got it!  We had no air conditioning and it was not cold.  We opened the windows.....and I slept like a baby.  

Up early, we had to have our suitcases out by our doors by 7 a.m. and get down to breakfast, then to our bus where we had assigned seating.  Each day we moved our seating in order that all might have good views on the road.  Some fussed, but most of us were just happy to be seeing the scenery and couldn't care less which seats we were assigned!

We were bound on November 2nd for Verona, famous for Romeo and Juliet.  

Melanie, Cathy and I are in front of Juliet's statue. 

This is Juliet's balcony.......or as our tour guide told us......it fits the description and is in the right place, so this may or may not be the actual balcony!  I hope I didn't ruin it for anyone!

This is Daniella, our absolutely wonderful tour guide.  In this photo, he brought us sweets which were Romeo's sighs and Juliet's kisses.  They were just delicious!

When I say Daniella was wonderful, I'm not kidding!  He made sure we were all where we were supposed to be, if we left something behind at a hotel he made sure it was sent to our next destination and just generally took good care of us.

After a lovely day, we got back on the bus and drove through beautiful landscape, boarded a boat and arrived at our next location.......Venice!  

I will say Venice was my absolute favorite place of the trip.  I loved everything about Venice........I mean maybe not so much the food, but the Superhero had warned me that I wouldn't like the food.  He may have mentioned the word picky!

This was our first stop.......the hotel.  Didn't stay here long before we boarded a boat and cruised down the canal.  

Breath taking!  Just enjoy..... 

After the boat cruise, we took a walking tour.  Just as it was beginning to feel like we could walk no more, we walked out into St. Mark's Square and oh, was it gorgeous.  The sun was just started to go down and the light in the square was magical.

We walked by this little restaurant where they had a little orchestra playing Love is a Many Splendored Thing!  It was two days before my 20th wedding anniversary.  I burst out crying and looked over and my sister was crying too.  Yes, I went to Italy on my 20th anniversary sans husband.......it made him very happy, and who am I to steal his joy???  

I posted the video on facebook and had his partner show it to him on our actual anniversary.  I later asked him if he cried and he said no.  Whatever!

My sister, Cathy, me and friend Melanie on our gondola ride.  We went with another couple and they got the good spot, but we were obviously still happy.

The gondola ahead of us.....these side canals were so pretty!

Since it is over a year later, I'm trying to remember where we were when and so if I mess up, you'll forgive me, right??  We stayed in Venice two days and on the second day, we cruised past all the islands to a small village called Burano.  The picture below I took, but I saw the same picture in a travel brochure only they managed to show the colors as bright as they actually were!   

My intent was to do the whole trip in one post, but since that's getting too long, we ended day two in Venice by eating a club sandwich in the hotel!  

And as they say, tomorrow was indeed another day!

To be continued.....