Mama Mia!!!

Well, it has been a couple days. Since we last blogged we spent another wonderfully relaxing day in Venice. We really didn't take in too many touristy sights, just enjoyed walking around the town and exploring the shops.

On our second day, we headed over to Lido. It is an 18km island with a beach that spans the whole thing. We enjoyed our afternoon just basking in the sun. Apparently tops are optional on this beach and for men... speedos are mandatory!! We had quite the view!!

We were glad to leave Venice though, because we found out they have huge, killer, man-eating mosquitos!! Steve, I know you warned us about this... but we forgot until we became human connect the dot games. We look like a couple of pre-teens just starting Acutane!! The pictures will prove it!! So we boarded a train to Vicenza to have a much needed night in a real bed with a real shower.

Erin has been corresponding with a girl from Seattle named Sarah, who is a friend of a friend of a friend. She offered us a place to stay so we agreed... ever the weary travelers. We warned her we would be the uinmistakable Americans with the huge back packs... she found us immediately. She then took us to her GORGEOUS home in the Italian hillside where we had our first homecooked meal of pasta, brie, wine, and baguettes!! YUM!! After some laundry and hot showers and a good nights sleep, we headed to Florence.

Now, here's where things get more interesting. If you are unfamiliar with the trains in Europe, we will tell you... some of them are rather ENCLOSED. We boarded our car and found our seats only to be knocked on our asses by a rude Italian old couple and their dirty looks, a fat Italian man who would not help us with our heavy bags, and the bad B.O. that they all eminated!! Then the old couple, who munched loudly on stale crackers insisted on turning up the heat to only make the stench worse. And the only normal looking passenger, a young Italian girl, proceded to blow her nose like a fog horn, OVER and OVER and OVER. As Alicia tried to rest she was constantly startled awake by this annoying alarm. I'm sure I saw her eyebrow go up one or two times.

We finally made it to Florence and after about a mile hike, found our hotel. Again... rather sparse accomadations... and a free mosquito repellant airfreshener. GREAT!! Apparently it gets worse!! The guy at the desk gave us great directions for a two day adventure... obviously too good... because we got it all done in one day. Too long of lines at the Uffizi and only reservations at the Academia... so we will forgo those for the art in Paris.

We climbed yet another tower (414 steps this time) and were accosted by an old gypsie woman... yes Gramma!! She begged for money a few times and we kept turning away... apparently a punch in the gut would have been better because after a few brush offs, she actually spat at us!! Those stupid Americans!! We have also decided that we must not be attractive by European standards. We were told that we would get whistled at all the time... have we, only once!! Megan was right... after a while you just want to look pretty, but I guess our scarves and skirts just don't do it for the Italian guys (with pony-tails), but we're OK with that!! We'll take our masculine looking, broad shouldered American boys anyday!!

We are now headed to Cinque Terra in the morning. Hopefully there are no man-eating bugs there!!!

Oh... by the way... we write these blogs together, in case you were wondering!! Till next time....