To prevent graffiti (which is rampant and out of hand in all of Italy), they encourage you to leave a love note in the entry way to the courtyard of Juliet's house...
We visited the spot of the house of Juliet, and saw what was supposedly the original balcony. It was packed with tourists, speaking all languages.
Verona is a quiet town, because of little traffic and narrow streets, but it is full of tourists and history.
We took the train to Verona. After a few minutes, we noticed we were the only ones in the car. We stretched out and read and dozed as the countryside passed by. Soon it was like being in a bathroom with the hot water running and no windows opened. It only took us an hour or so to figure out the reason we were the only ones there... walking to another car, we found a much better cooler, yet crowded environment. We packed up our gear and moved seats!

We try the tortilini at a hidden little restaurant. It was incredible. Our bill was more than a one night stay at the villa in Prato.
Bologna is quieter than any of the other cities we have been to so far. We really like the unhurried feeling here. We can walk down little side streets and not see a soul. We can hear crickets in the trees or people talking softly on the many benches. This is an interesting mailbox.
Every day since we returned from the island of Ponza, there have been thunderheads and a feeling of rain in the afternoon. Today it barely sprinkled. Bologna is known for its many covered walkways, many of which have carvings, tile, or murals overhead.
We have walked so much, Bruce has worn out his Tevas. We went to a Camper shoe store and bought him a replacement.

I think Bologna should be famous for this crazy statue. There is a woman on each of the four sides. Bella!
Bruce enjoys the air conditioning and the room's red and yellow decor. He is reading to me about the origins of Bologna and discovers it is famous for its meats and tortilini. He is telling me how some of the meats are made. Wow! I am in the bathroom checking out the many free ammenities, including slippers!
Our hotel is fantastic! It is the Hotel Orologio, and it has a wonderful view of the plaza and the quiet street below.It also has free, good internet access.
We were sad to leave the villa... but they recommended and booked a great bed and breakfast hotel in the heart of Bologna. The geese watched over our bags as we waited for the taxi.

Window shopping in Florence is fun and exciting. It is better than San Francisco because it is quieter, with no hills to walk up. There are no cars, only pedestrians on the side streets.The shops are little, so you don't have to walk as far to get to the next shop. There are also lots of nice steps and doorways for Bruce to sit on...

...and shopping! What do you think I did the most?
...bargaining with the street vendors...
...eating lunch in the Piazza where there was a little breeze and lots of people to watch...
The next morning we took a taxi down into Prato, and took the train to Florence where we spent the day looking in museums...

There were street painters doing huge reproductions of famous Italian paintings.



Robert has left us today to spend the night in Florence and then he wants to head north to a mountain town and perhaps a village where his aunt was born. We have chosen to stay two more nights in the villa. Today we wanted to just relax. We read and rested and swam in the cold pool. We watched the children of the owners, and talked a bit with Frank and Francesca, who are somehow related to Eleanora. Our room is cool in the afternoon for a nap, and I enjoy tea and cookies in the evening. In the evening we will take the train to Florence and join Robert for dinner at his favorite place near his hotel. The streets in Florence at night are filled with people and entertainers of all kinds. It will be fun.

Bruce wanted to eat Lucca Ravioli because he wants to compare it to the Lucca brand of ravioli in Chico... this was better, of course.
We could look down into the city, into yards, little streets and alleys, hotels and public buildings. Everything was made of stone.
We went to the small city of Lucca. It is surrounded by the wall from ancient times.We rented bikes and rode around the wall. Thunder was cracking nearby, and Robert took this photo of us just as it began to sprinkle.

The streets are crowed with tourists from all around the world. But when you are standing there looking at a statue, you feel alone with it. Most are much larger than human size, and there are so many angles from which to view them.

After breakfast the next morning, we took a cab to the train station in Prato. We decided to spend the day in Florence. Robert showed us the apartment that he rented last summer and a few of his favorite places, then we decided to split up since I preferred shopping and the boys wanted to chase down history. Here are some images from Firenze/Florence.

We ring the bell and a woman lets us into the cavernous entry (where Bruce and Robert will later enjoy singing and reciting poetry and lines from plays).
I let the boys go ahead so I can take a picture. It is a beautiful place.
Oh my god! This villa is like a castle!

We took a cab to the Villa where Eleonora had made reservations with her relatives. Check out their website: www.villarucellai.it
We took the train to a town in the Toscany region called Prato. It is near Florence.
The wait for the ferry to go back to Anzio was hot, even though it was still morning.